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REV L M.BECKETT 



RATIONAL THOUGHTS CONCERNING THE 

SUPREME BEING OF THE UNIVERSE, 

AND THE TRUE PRIMITIVE 

RELIGION. 



BY 



Rev. L. M. Beckett, B. D. 



WASHINGTON. D. C ' 
1919 






Copyrighted by 

L. M. BECKETT, B. D. 

1919. 



©CLA580723 

SEP -8 1919 



CONTENTS 

— , — •«»• - --■-■— 

PREFACE 

DEDICATION PRESIGNIFICATION 

INTRODUCTION PROLOGUE 

Chap. I. — The Source, the Authenticity and the 
Reliability of the Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures. 

Chap. II. — The Existence of a Supreme Being. 

Chap. III. — The Essential Attributes and Charac- 
teristics of the Supreme Being. 

Chap. IV. — The Essential Attributes and Charac- 
teristics of the Supreme Being. 

(Continued.) 

Chap. V. — Material Creation. 

Chap. VI. — Evolutionary Process of Material Cre- 
ation. 

Chap. VII. — Man, a Special Act of Creation. 

Chap. VIII. — Man by Creation a Rational and a 
Religious Being. 

Chap. IX. — Man's Primary Rational Ideas and 
Views of the Supreme Being. 

Chap. X.— The Primary State and Condition of 
Man. ,:,.' : -' r 

Chap. XI. — The True Primitive Religion. 

Chap. XII. — The "Esperanto" Religion, or the 
Universal Religion of Mankind. 

Chap. XIII.— The Disobedience of Man. 

Chap. XIV.— The Effect of the Disobedience of 
Man. 



CONTENTS' 

Chap. XV.— The Serpent and the Seed of the 
Woman. 

Chap. XVI.— Is God Merciful, and does He Pardon 
Sin? 

Chap. XVIL— The Restoration of Man to the 
Image and the Likeness of His Cre- 
ator. 

Chap. XVIIL— Man's Present Relation and Obli- 
gation to his Creator. 

Chap. XIX.— The Jewish Sacred Scriptures in 
Comparison to other Sacred Wri- 
tings. 

Chap. XX.— The Nature of True Worship. 

Chap. XXL— The Proper Place of True Worship. 

Chap. XXIL— The Proper Day of True Worship. 

Chap. XXIIL— The Character of True Worship- 
ers. 

Chap. XXIV. — Back again to the Living and the 
True God, and to the True Primitive 
Religion. 

Chap. XXV.— The Finality of Man's Body, and the 
Destiny of his Soul. 

Chap. XXVI. — The Future Abode and Condition 
of the Soul. 

Chap. XXVII. — Resume, and Conclusion of the 
whole Matter. 



PREFACE 

When the Author of this Volume was contem- 
plating writing this Work and putting in book 
form his ideas and views on "Rational Thoughts 
Concerning the Supreme Being of the Universe, 
and the True Primitive Religion," I had a long 
talk with him as to his object, and as to the course 
he intended to pursue. I told him, that if he 
would stick closely to his subject, and not to un- 
warrantly make attack upon any church or denom- 
ination, that such a Work, no doubt, would be food 
for religious thought, and helpful to many of all 
denominations who are seeking for true spiritual 
light. 

There are many Rational Thoughts brought out 
in this Volume to which I heartily agree; but if 
there should be one thought found therein to which 
some Biblical Student should take exceptions, I 
shall not be a party to the controversy. 

My main object in writing this Preface is 
simply to endorse and to encourage students and 
biblical scholars of my own race to think deeply 
along all religious lines, and. to give their thoughts 
to the reading world for what they are worth. 

In the perusal of this book, I would recommend 
that the reader keep constantly in mind the subject 
that is under consideration, and the manner in 
which the author has treated it. The reader must 
also remember that he is reading the thoughts 
peculiar to another person, and not thoughts- pecu- 
liar to his own personality. 

Rt. Rev. W. W. Beckett, D, D. 



DEDICATION 

This Volume is reverently dedicated to the Living 

and True God, and to the Principles of the 

True Primitive Religion. 

In dedicating this volume, the author includes 
his devoted wife, who rendered valuable assistance 
in its literary preparation. 

The author would also include his sainted 
mother, now in Heaven, from whom he received 
his early religious impressions, and from whom 
he inherited his mode of inquisitive thought, which 
led him to make researches as to rational ideas and 
views concerning God, and the principles of the 
True Primitive Religion. 

Lastly, the author dedicates this volume to the 
ancient Jewish Nation, from whose sacred wri- 
tings rational theologians have received correct 
ideas and views of the existence of the Supreme 
Being, also sublime ideas and views of the- princi- 
ples of the True Religion. 



THR TRUK PKIMITIVH KKLIGION 5 

PRESIGNIFICATION 

This is not a work on higher Theological Criti- 
cism, but a work on Rational Thoughts concerning 
God, and the Primitive Religion. 

This volume is not an attack on sectarian creeds, 
but a plain statement of rational thoughts concern 
ing God, and Practical Religious Deeds. 

"Come Now, and let us reason together." Is*. 1 :1S 

"He that will not reason is a bigot ; he that cannot 

reason is a fool; and he that dares not 

reason is a slave." — W. Drummond. 

The object of this volume is to so restate the 
ideas and views of the Primitive and True Relig- 
ion, as to make them helpful to the pulpit as well as 
to the pew. 

"For forms and creeds let graceless bigots fight, 
He can't be wrong whose life is in the right." 

— Pope 

Let the young people read this book, so as to 

avoid the pagan paths that our fathers 

unwittingly trod. 

We should not base our hopes of heaven upon sec • 

tarian creeds, but upon God and Righteous 

Deeds. 

The True Plan of Salvation is to keep the com- 
mandments of God ; but the pagan plan is to 
believe in the doctrines formed by man. 



O "- THH TKUK PKIMITIYK RHLIGTON 

INTRODUCTION ' 

Some-thing over forty years ago, when the 
author of this Volume was quite young, and v 
attending a theological school, preparatory to his 
ministerial career, he entertained the idea that, 
at some time in the distant future, when his mind 
would become ripe for the occasion, he would en- 
deavor to systematize his thoughts, and would 
publish in book form his ideas and views of the 
Supreme Being ; His nature ; His existence a 
His character; and also the author's conception 
and views of the nature of true religion. 

Since the author has attained his sixtieth 
birth-day, and has been seriously meditating upon 
these all-important subjects, this query has been 
very forcibly impressed upon his mind : Are the 
ideas and views that we now entertain concern- 
ing the Supreme Being, and of religion, rational 
ideas and views? or do we entertain irrational 
ideas and views on these all-important subjects? 

While the author was in deep meditation upon 
these subjects and before he began to write upon 
them, he consulted with an eminent Churchman, 
who was at one time president of a great Universi- 
ty, as to the appropriateness, and the feasibility of 
writing a Book on these very important subjects, 
viz: Rational thoughts concerning the Supreme 
Being of the Universe, and of the True Religion. 
But strange to say, this eminent Churchman, with 
a significant smile upon his countenance, advised 
the author to .leave the word. "Rational" out of his. 



TH-H TKUK PRIMOriVi':: K'-KLIGJOS i 

subject; and also urged upon him to confine his 
thoughts exclusively to what the Bible says about 
God, and also about religion. The author became 
somewhat suspicious of this advice, and it caused 
him to search the more diligently into its signifi- 
cance and meaning. This advice was the more 
astonishing to the author from the standpoint, that 
he had been greatly impressed with the thought, 
t/iat God had created Man a Rational and also a 
Religious Being, and that He had revealed Him- 
self to Man in His works as well as in His Word. 
After giving the advice of this eminent Church- 
man serious consideration, and after studying it 
from his every view-point, the author was not 
very favorably impressed with the idea of leav- 
ing the word "Rational" out of his subject, for it 
was the thought suggested by the meaning of that 
very word ("Rational") which the author desired 
to make the most prominent in his meditations; 
from the standpoint, that to have correct and ra- 
tional ideas and views of the Supreme Being are 
the most important of all human meditations. 

It is indeed evident/ that every nation which 
has existed upon the face of the earth has had its 
God, or its gods; and it is the duty of all men to 
form such correct ideas and views of the Supreme 
Iseirig as is possible, from the fact, that there is. 
no thought that man has entertained and that lies 
so closely to his heart as the thought that he en- 
tertains of the Supreme Being. Thus it is said, 
that the thought of the Supreme Being of the 



b THE TKUK PKIMITIYK RMJGION 

Universe is interwoven and entwined into man's 
intellectual and religious fabric, and is indeed an 
essential and necessary part of his rational ex- 
istence; for the thought of the Supreme Being 
enters into man's dearest pleasures, his fondest 
hopes, his deepest meditations and his highest as- 
pirations. These and many other topics of con- 
sideration which the author deeply meditated up- 
on, caused him to cling tenaciously to the term 
"Rational" in his thoughts concerning the Su 
preme Being of the Universe, and also his views 
upon the true primitive Religion. 

Now while we are well aware of the fact, that 
most of the nations now accept, and firmly believe 
that the Jewish Bible contains, to a great extent, 
rational and correct ideas and views of the Su- 
preme Being, and in many respects, a revelation of 
His Will, yet, we are also well aware of another 
fact, and that is, that there were many hundreds 
of years when there was no Jewish Bible which 
man could read, and thereby get a knowledge of 
the Supreme Being, and also a knowledge of His 
revealed Will. 

But with all due reverence for, and deference to 
the Jewish Sacred Bible, yet it is generally ad- 
mitted that there have been many rational 
Thoughts that Man has entertained concerning 
the Supreme Being which were not prompted nor 
suggested by the reading of this Bible. 

This being true, the great query arose in the 
author's mind to this effect : If the term "Ratiori- 



THK TKUK PKIMITIVK kHXlGiON ( J 

al" be left out of his subject, and his thoughts be 
confined exclusively to what the Bible says about 
God, as had been previously suggested, then how 
can we account for those rational thoughts con- 
cerning the Supreme Being, which some nations 
and peoples of the world entertained of Him many 
hundreds of years before the "Holy men of old" 
were inspired to write of His Will. 

That there were many rational thoughts con- 
cerning the Supreme Being long before tne com- 
pilation of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures is also 
evident from the fact, that Plato, a so-called 
heathen Grecian Philosopher, who lived about 350 
B. C. and who had no knowledge whatever of this 
Sacred Book is said to have taught his pupils the 
following rational ideas and views of the Supreme 
Being : "The unity of God ; and that He is perfect ; 
self-existent and self-sufficient; and that He is a 
Being who is infinitely good, and desirous of 
rendering all of His creatures happy; and that 
the perfection of morality consists in living con- 
formably to His Will ; that the soul is immortal, 
and that there is to be a future state of retribu- 
tion." 

Now if it can be said that these rational ideas 
and views of the Supreme Being were entertained 
and taught by a so-called heathen philosopher of 
antiquity, who had not the light of the Sacred 
Scriptures to lead and to guide him, then what 
ought to be expected of those nations who have 
the light of these Scriptures, as well as the light of 
the Book of Nature to lead and to guide them? 



10 THE TRDK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

Then again, it must be remembered that the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures, which some nations 
have accepted, in part as their religious guide, 
yet these sacred writings are comparatively ob- 
scure and unknown, especially when we take into 
consideration the untold millions of people by 
whom they are not read, and who have no knowl- 
edge whatever of their existence, their contents 
and their teachings. 

Thus from the above statement it can be readily 
seen, that if the author should leave the term 
''Rational" out of his subject, and should confine 
his meditations exclusively to what" the Bible says 
about God, and if this restriction should be made 
upon all peoples, then there would be comparative- 
ly but few persons who would have -a rational 
knowledge of the Supreme Being; and this 
knowledge would be confined to those few persons 
who live in a "Bible Land," and who make a study 
and research of the Bible. 

But notwithstanding the fact, that there are 
only comparatively few peoples and nations who 
have a knowledge of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, 
yet, some eminent travelers and historians relate 
the fact, and this has been fully proven and demon- 
strated from other reliable sources, that all nations 
and peoples of the world ; yea, in every age of the 
world, all have had some knowledge of a Supreme 
Being; although this knowledge among some of 
them has been extremely limited and vague. Now 
if it be true, that only a few nations and peoples 
of the world have had the light of the Sacred 



THK TRUK PRIMITIVE KKLIGION H 

Scriptures to lead and to guide them, and from 
which they could, and are expected to obtain their 
rational ideas and views of the Supreme Being, 
then the query arises, From whom and when and 
*\\here did those nations and peoples, who had 
not the Sacred Scriptures to lead and to guide 
them, get their rational ideas and views of the 
Supreme Being? limited and vague though some 
cf these ideas and views of Him may have been. 

But paramount to all other queries which have 
claimed the author's attention, and which have 
given him more anxious- concern than any other 
ouery, is the one which relates to our present ideas 
and views of the Supreme Being and of religion ; 
whether they are all rational or not; and if not 
lo what extent are they mixed up and contami- 
nated with irrational ideas and views of the Su- 
preme Being. 

Thus, in his endeavors to answer these and 
many other important queries, as they appertain 
to man's rational ideas and views concerning the 
Supreme Being, and also the true religion, the 
author has patiently devoted his best thoughts, and 
his deepest meditations; and he sincerely hopes 
that these rational Ideas and Views concerning 
the Supreme Being, and the principles of the true 
primary religion contained in this Volume may 
prove to be of great spiritual service to the reader, 
and cause him to think deeply upon these all 
important subjects, even more deeply than the 
author has done. 



VI THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RKEIGION 

It will be observed, that at the close of every 
Chapter of this Volume, the Author has called 
upon a Rational Religious Jury to render a verdict 
as to the contents contained therein. This Jury 
will be relied on to render an impartial verdict 
on each and every chapter in this Volume. 

The Author has purposely made repetition of 
several thoughts in this Volume. This was done 
for the sake of clearness and emphasis. 

Author. 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 13 

PROLOGUE 

In order to make his position so clear and ex- 
plicit in this Volume, that the "Wayfaring men, 
though fools, shall not err therein," the author has 
taken the liberty to define some of the familiar 
terms and phrases which have been used, and 
even to enlarge upon some of them, at which 
liberty, he hopes that the learned and critical read- 
ers will not find occasion to take undue literary of- 
fense. The term "Esperanto" we have used to 
apply to the true universal religion, as well as to 
a universal language. 

By the term "Rational" is meant that which is 
conformable and agreeable to reason; a logical 
deduction ; guided by reason and sound sense. 

A "Rational Being" is one who is endowed with 
reasonable intellectual faculties, and whose powers 
of mind render him capable of drawing correct 
and logical conclusions; and who is also capable 
of forming correct ideas and views from the things 
which he sees around him, and by which he is 
surrounded, both visible and invisible. 

Men of great scientific research tell us that, of 
all the animals that inhabit the earth, Man is the 
only rational Being ; from the fact, that Man alone 
is the only Creature of all creation who has been 
endowed with rational and religious faculties, by 
which he can form logical and correct ideas and 
views, not only of physical things, but also of 
purely intellectual things, and of God. 



>*• THE TRUH PK1MITIVE KHI.IGION 

But by way of contrast in its definition, the 
term "Irrational," is used to the opposite of the 
term "Rational," and means, that which is not 
conformable and agreeable to reason. It is an 
illogical deduction ; and it is that conclusion which 
is not the result of sound sense and of logical 
reasoning. 

When these two terms are applied to Human Be- 
ings, one is called, "A Rational Being;" while the 
other is called "An Irrational Being." In reality, 
the term "Irrational" when applied to a Human 
Being is a mis-nomer; for there can be no such 
a human being; as the Creator never made such 
a being. But the term "Irrational," is sometimes 
applied to a person whose intellectual faculties 
have not been properly trained; whose thoughts 
have been mis-guided, and whose reasoning powers 
have been greatly blunted and blurred. 

It is indeed a rational and a religious thought 
to conclude that the Supreme Being of the Uni- 
verse is an infinitely perfect Rational Being, for 
His rational perfection is not only attested by the 
nature of His Existence and His Character, but 
it is also attested by His Creational Acts, and by 
His Logical and Rational conduct in His Govern- 
ment of the Universe. 

That the Supreme Being created Man a perfect, 
rational human being is also attested by the fact, 
that Man was created in the "image, and after 
the likeness of his Creator," which alone consti- 
tutes him a perfect, rational human being. 



THK TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 15 

Not only was Man created in such a manner as 
to be rendered a perfect, rational human being, 
but it is also true that he was created with such 
Moral Faculties as to render him a perfect, ra- 
tional Religious Being. The Faculties that render 
Man a religious being are also those same faculties 
that bring him in close spiritual relationship with 
his Creator, and which cause him to entertain 
sacred and sublime ideas and views of the Supreme 
Being. Thus for a man to have correct rational 
and religious ideas and views of the Supreme 
Being, he has only to cultivate and exercise his 
God-given faculties, and not allow them to be 
tossed and driven by every adverse tide that flows, 
and by every contrary wind that blows. While 
it is indeed an historical fact, that religious ideas 
?nd views of the Supreme Being have been enter- 
tained by the Jewish nation for many, many ages, 
and that nation as a whole, has positively refused 
to worship any other gods but the living and the 
true God, yet it is also an historical fact, that the 
vast majority of the other nations of the world 
have worshiped false gods ; and in some instances 
have included these gods in their worship with the 
Supreme Being. 

But it is not the intention of the author to 
consider in this volume those irrational and er- 
roneous ideas and views that some nations have 
entertained of the Supreme Being, for he hopes 
at some time in the future to deal with them in 
a separate volume. 



16 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

In this Volume, the author has sought diligently 
to confine his attention and thoughts exclusively to 
the subject he has selected for consideration; and 
the only merit he claims for this Volume, if merit 
be found therein, is the fact, that he has en- 
deavored to show that man's ideas and views of 
the Supreme Being and of the true religion 
should be rational ideas and views. This he 
thinks should be done to the exclusion of all de- 
nominational, dogmatical and theological disquisi- 
tions. 

Then again, he has endeavored to show that the 
True Religion is co-existent with man's Creation, 
and is based upon Righteous Deeds; and it is not 
a religion based upon controversial tenets and 
denominational creeds. Then with this end in 
view he starts upon this difficult, but extremely 
necessary task ; ever praying for intellectual light ; 
and above all, for Divine Guidance in the right. 

L. M. B. 



THK TKCJK PKIMITIVH RKLIGION l7 

CHAPTER I. 

THE SOURCE, THE AUTHENTICITY AND 

THE RELIABILITY OF THE JEWISH 

SACRED SCRIPTURES 



It is indeed reasonable for man to think, that 
God has at some time, and in some way revealed 
Himself to man ; and that man has by some means 
or method, conserved this revelation, and has 
transmitted it to his posterity. 
In our researches for data upon this all-important 
subject, we find, that most theologians and phil- 
osophers, who have sought diligently after ration- 
al thoughts concerning the living and the true 
God, have agreed that it is reasonable to think that 
God has revealed Himself in two ways, whereby 
man can get a knowledge of His Will and also 
of His Works. 

In the first place, theologians tell us, that God 
has made His "Sovereign Will" known to man by 
stamping it upon the tablets of the human heart ; 
and in the next place, philosophers tell us that, 
God has made His "Infinite Existence'' known to 
man by inscribing it upon the surface of the ada- 
mantine rocks. Thus theologians say that God has 
made His Will known to man by means of Revela- 
tion ; and philosophers say, that God has made His 
Existence known to man by His works of Creation. 

But as to the conservation, the transmission, the 



18 THK TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

source and the reliability of this knowledge of Rev- 
elation and Creation, there has been no general 
agreement among men, and man, as a whole, is 
still at sea; and, to some extent, i^any of these 
lacts are still shrouded in the greatest mystery. 
But in this day of rational thought and sch: 
ly investigations, the great, question has been 
asked, If God has made His Will known to man 
by means of Revelation, and His existence known 
to him by the acts of His creation, then what are 
some of the evidences of their genuineness, their 
authenticity and their reliability? In answer to 
these very important questions, theologians say., 
that God, at a very early period in the history of 
the world's existence, made His Will known -to the 
first man of Creation, who transmitted this 
knowledge to his posterity by means of tradition. 
They also say, that this traditional information 
of the Supreme Being was, for many hundreds of 
years, kept prominently before the minds of the 
people, until Moses, the great Jewish Historian, 
put this traditional information into writing. Thus 
it is said, that the traditional writings of Moses 
constitute, in part, the Jewish Sacred Scriptures ; 
and that the Jewish nation has always considered 
these Sacred Scriptures as being pure as to their 
source; genuine as to their authenticity, and re- 
liable, as to their statements and truthfulness. As 
to the source of the knowledge of Creation, philos- 
ophers tell us, that in their researches, the data of 
Creation are just as manifest in the book of Na- 



T ii K I' K II K P K I M I T 1 \' K K K LI G 1 O N 1 9 

ture as they are revealed in the Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures. Thus the students of rational theology 
and of philosophy have agreed, and have also 
decided that the Jewish Sacred Scriptures contain 
genuine, authentic and reliable accounts of the 
Farth's Creation ; and that the Book of Nature also 
contains the same. 

But it will be noted, that the term "Scriptures" 
has been applied to the collection of the Jewish 
Sacred Writings in the way of eminence ; for of all 
writings, either sacred or profane, the Jewish 
Sacred Scriptures are said to be the most impor- 
tant and reliable ; not only for their antiquity, but 
also for the truthfulness of the information they 
contain. 

Thus, in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures are re- 
corded rational and reliable Ideas and Views con- 
cerning the Divine nature of the Supreme Being. 
In fact, comparatively all that man knows con- 
cerning the nature and the character of the Su- 
preme Being, with any degree of certainty and 
reliability, has been recorded in this Sacred 
"Volume. It is indeed true, that man has gleaned 
many rational ideas and views of the Supreme 
Being from the Book of Nature, but some of the 
inscriptions of the Supreme Being which are to be 
found in this Book are so faded and dim to human 
vision, that man all along the' ages has made some 
errors in interpreting them, and has also" made 
some mistakes in his prognostications. But not- 
withstanding the fact, that man has made some er- 



20 THK TRU < PRIMI PI K KKI.IGIOV 

roneous and false interpretations concerning the 
Nature and the Character of the Supreme Being 
from the Book of Nature, yet, from this Book he 
has learned that the Supreme Being is infinitely 
great, and good, and benevolent; and that He is 
the upholder and the preserver of the universe. 

Then again, in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures is 
recorded the fact, that God is an Infinite Spirit, 
invisible, whom no man can see, and is the High 
and Lofty One who inhabiteth eternity. 

Not only this ; but they represent Him as being 
Omnipotent in power; Omniscient in wisdom and 
intelligence; Omnipresent in Existence; Perfect 
m rectitude and holiness, and Immutable in faith- 
fulness and truth. 

As to their philosophical account of creation, 
eminent theologians and philosophers have agreed 
that the Jewish Sacred Scriptures are profoundly 
logical and rational in their description of the 
Supreme Being, which description has stood the 
test of scientific investigations for many centuries, 
and has been considered the most consistent ex- 
planation of existing things that has ever been 
narrated by man. Hence, in opposition to the 
claims of atheism and the broad tenets of pan- 
theism, as to the origin of matter, the Jewish 
Sacred Scriptures declare, "In the beginning God 
created the heaven and the earth." Thus upon 
this declaration is based all the fundamental prin- 
ciples of rational theology, and all the axioms of 
philosophy and of true religion. 



THK TKUE PKIMITIVK RELIGION 21 

But as strange as it may seem to modern Bible 
students, yet, it is said that the Jewish nation 
never made claim that their Scriptures were of 
divine origin, and therefore of divine inspiration, 
in the sense that the term "Inspiration" is now 
applied to sacred writings. 

While it is indeed true, that the Jewish nation 
leverenced their Scriptures, and regarded them 
as being Sacred, yet, they looked upon them as 
containing: first, their traditional history ; second, 
as containing largely their national history ; third, 
as containing also their church history ; and lastly, 
as containing in full their prophetic and religious 
history. 

Verdict of the Jury. 

We the Jury, after a careful and a patient re- 
search as to the Source, the Authenticity and the 
Reliability of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures do 
aver, that these Scriptures and these Scriptures 
alone, contain correct and reliable Ideas and Views 
of the Supreme Being, and also of the true re- 
ligion, and we recommend their diligent research 
and study. 

(Signed) The JURY 



22 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

CHAPTER II. 

THE EXISTENCE OF A SUPREME BEING 

This Chapter on the "Existence cf a Supreme 
Being," is not written so much for the purpose 
of proving, in a formal and systematical way, the 
Essential Existence of a Supreme Being, for the 
author thinks that this would be absolutely un- 
necessary. But this Chapter is written to relate 
some of the ideas and views that many nations 
have entertained as to the existence of their gods, 
as v/ell as to the existence of the Supreme Be- 
lt is indeed an historical fact, and one that has 
been admitted by nearly all nations, both ancient 
and modern, that there is a Supreme Being; 
though most of these nations have entertaine :1 
some very erroneous ideas and views of the form 
of His Existence, of His Nature and of His Char- 
acter. To this end, some of these nations have 
conceived the idea, that there are a plurality of 
gods, and that some of them have their visible and 
ini visible dwellings among men. Some of these 
nations have gone so far as to engrave and t: 
mould the forms of their gods out of wood, stone, 
iron, silver, brass and gold. Then there are some 
of these nations who have worshiped as their 
gods, the sun, the moon and the stars ; while others 
have paid homage to demi-gods or human heroes. 
But as it is the purpose of the author to confine 
this Chapter to the arguments of the Existence of 
the living and the true God, who is the only Being 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 23 

that is worthy of Man's reverence and worship, 
be will therefore proceed to develop and set forth 
the same. 

It is generally admitted by all rational theologi- 
ans, that to form rational and correct views of the 
Supreme Being of the Universe, the thought must 
always be kept in mind that these ideas and views 
should, to a large extent, be molded and shaped by 
the teachings of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, 
whose authenticity and genuineness have been 
\ouched for by those who have been in a position 
to know, and not from the false dogmas and 
doctrinal teachings of Pagan nations and relig- 
ions, which have been and are now extant in the 
world. 

As strange as it may seem; yet, in the first 
verse of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, Moses, the 
Jewish Sacred historian and prophet, does not 
begin his Sacred Writings by attempting to prove, 
in a formal way, the Existence of a Supreme 
Being, but he simply assumes His Existence by 
faying : "In the beginning God created the heaven 
and the earth." 

But some one might make inquiry as to why 
Moses was not more explicit in his references to 
the Existence of a Supreme Being; and why he 
did not say something in a more definite way about 
His Eternal Existence, prior to relating His great 
Acts of Creation? 

In answer to these inquiries it may be said that, 
Moses did not write his portion of the Jewish 



24 THH TKUH PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

Sacred Scriptures for the specific purpose of prov- 
ing the Existence of a Supreme Being for, no 
doubt, he thought an attempt along that line would 
be entirely unnecessary ; but Moses wrote the Jew- 
ish Sacred Scriptures, as an historian of his people 
would write; that is, to faithfully record those 
religious traditional events that had happened 
among his people, which had been related to him 
by the Patriarchs and Elders of Israel, when they 
were in the Wilderness, on their way to the 
Promised Land of Canaan. 

Then again, when Moses wrote these tradi- 
tional events, all of the nations of the world were 
in possession of some knowledge of the Existence 
of a Supreme Being; though some of their views 
of His Existence were extremely limited, erron- 
eous and vague. It is indeed an undeniable and 
an indisputable fact, that when Moses wrote his 
portion of the Jewish Scriptures, the Jewish Na- 
tion, and that Nation alone, was in sole possession 
of Rational and correct ideas and views of the 
Supreme Being, as to His Existence, His Nature 
and His Character ; and had paid divine homage to 
Him many hundreds of years, even before Moses 
was born; and while all the other nations of the 
earth were shrouded in the gloom of grossest ig- 
rorance of His Existence, and were entertaining 
erroneous ideas and views of His Character. 

But as an offset to this claim, that the Jewish 
Nation was in possession of rational and correct 
ideas and views of the Existence of the Supreme 



THK TRUK PRIMITIVE kKUGlON 25 

Being many hundreds of years before Moses wrote 
the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, and that at the time 
of his writing, all of the other nations of the world 
were in the lowest depths of heathenism and su- 
perstition, some theologians make the argument 
that Abraham, the founder of the Jewish Nation, 
was reared a heathen in the Land of Chaldea ; and 
that Moses was raised a heathen in Pharaoh's 
f amily, in the Land of Egypt ; and even at the time 
when Moses began to write the Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures, his name was found enrolled as an 
Egyptian Priest, and also among the enthusiastic 
worshipers of I sis and Osi?*is in the Egyptian Tem- 
ple of the gods. 

In admitting this contention about Abraham 
being raised a heathen as being true, Jewish com- 
mentators say, it is also true that Abraham, when 
quite a young man came in contact with the Seers 
of antiquity and the Patriarchs of old, and had 
learned from them their traditional information 
as to the Existence, the Nature and the Charac- 
ter of the Supreme Being, and it was chiefly upon 
this traditional information that Abraham 
founded the Jewish Nation. 

Then again, in admitting this contention about 
Moses being enrolled as a Priest in the Temple 
of the Egyptian gods as also being true, yet the 
Jewish commentators make the claim that Moses, 
when quite young, was taught the Jewish idea 
of the Existence, the Nature and the Character of 
the Supreme Being by his mother, whom Pha- 
raoh's daughter had employed to nurse until he 



2 5 - ■ p - ■ - ■ - ' 

became old enough to Pi in 

lamily. 

But notwithstanding the fact that M 
been educated in Egyptian lore, and had been 
dained a Priest in the E: Temple 

gods, yet, the Jewish Nation says, it m 
distinctly understood, that when Moses wrote the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures, he did not include in hi 
writings one single idea which the Egyptians 
entertained concerning the existence of their go : 
but he simply recorded the traditional information 
of the Supreme Being as was related to him by th _ 
Patriarchs and Elders; which information hai 
come down to them from the earliest ages :~: 
creation. 

. Not only this, but the Jewish Nation claims th v 
while Moses did not write the ereational Acts of 
the Supreme Being for the specific purpose of 
proving His Eternal Existence, yet, the proof of 
His Eternal Existence can be easily inferred a i 
strongly intimated in his description of God 
ereational Acts, when he wrote, "In the beginrm; 
God created the heaven and ■ the earth." This 
expression, the Jewish nation claims, establishes 
and proves the Eternal Existence of a Supreme 
Being beyond the shadow of a reasonable doubt. 

As a further argument along this line, the 
ish Nation also claims, that from the days of 
Abraham, .the. founder of the Jewish Nation, to th 
days of Moses, the Jewish lawgiver and historian 
the thought of the Eternal Existence of a S 
Being always held an exalted place in the Jew 



THK T; ■ I'K Viv' ITVUT'i'V'H j i 1 ' I . I C x I i . X 27 

mind ; and even to this day, this thought is en- 
graven, as it were, with an "Iron pen upon the 
tablet of every Jewish heart." 

But if the query should be raised again, that 
Moses did not attempt to prove in any of his 
Sacred Writings the Eternal Existence of a Su- 
preme Being, and more especially, the Existence 
of the living and true God, when there were so 
many false gods being worshiped by the nations 
at that time, and all around him, the inference can 
be given, that when Moses wrote the Jewish 
Sacred Scriptures, he did not write so much as a 
theologian would write, that is, to attempt to prove 
ra a formal way, the existence of a Supreme 
Being, but he wrote more as a philosopher would 
write, that is, to point out as far as possible. The 
Primary cause and effect of all visible mid invisi- 
ble things. 

Thus the Jewish Nation claims, that when the 
Elders of Israel told Moses that, "In the begin- 
ning God created the heaven and the earth," Moses 
was indeed vastly more impressed with the philos- 
ophy of God's creative actions than he was with 
the theology of His Existence. ■.-.".. 

Then, while there are many rational theologians 
who confine their arguments exclusively to the 
teachings of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures to prove 
the Eternal Existence of a Supreme Being, yet, 
there are also many rational philosophers who 
contend that the Eternal Existence of a Supreme 
Being can be proven by the teachings of the Book 



28 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

of Nature, as well as from the writings of the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures. 

Thus rational philosophers say, that if man 
had no other means by which he could prove the 
Existence of a Supreme Being, the Natural Sun, 
\* hich controls and lights up the Universe would be 
a sufficient proof and demonstration of His Eter- 
nal Existence. As an argument to prove this con- 
tention, philosophers claim that the Sun is an Ef- 
fect; and as an Effect it must of necessity have 
had a Cause; and as no known human being could 
have produced, or have been the cause of such a 
stupendous effect, the rational conclusion is 
reached, that the Natural Sun must have been pro- 
duced, or have been caused by a Divine Being. 
But not only this, these philosophers say, that 
v hat is true of the Natural Sun, as cause and effect 
is also philosophically true of all cause and effect 
when they are reduced to their final analyses. 

But in answer to the argument of the rational 
philosophers as to the existence of the Natural 
Sun, as an evidence of the Existence of a Supreme 
Being, the claim is made, that the reason why the 
existence of the Natural Sun can be so readily 
proven, is because it is visible to the human eye : 
whereas, no Man has ever seen God, nor can any 
Man see Him. In answer to this, rational philos- 
ophers say, "On account of the great brilliancy 
of the Natural Sun, no man can see its real face, 
but that which is seen is not its real face, but 
is only the Sun's 'Disk/ " In like manner, some 



TiiK T;t'K P.KIMITIVK kl I.''.;iO\ 2') 

rational theologians argue that, because of the 
resplendent glcry of God, man cannot see His face, 
but can only see the manifestations of His Works. 

But in connection with this argument, another 
important question is sometimes asked, and that 
is : How does Man know that it was a Divine Being 
who was the originator of all causes and effects; 
could it not have been a Law, an Energy, a Prin- 
ciple or an Evolution, as well as a Divine Being? 
In answer to this question it can be said that, it 
is a rational international sentiment, strictly ad- 
hered to by all of those nations who claim to have 
traced all effects back to their original or Primary 
cause, that this Primary cause is generally known 
and designated as, 'The Divine Being." 

As to the great difference of opinion that has 
existed among the nations of the world, as to the 
existence of a Supreme Being, it must be under- 
stood, has not been due so much to the real exis- 
tence of a Supreme Being, but it has been largely 
due to the various opinions, as to the mode and the 
manner of His existence. 

That this is so, the ancient Jewish Nation 
claimed, that many hundreds of years before 
Moses began to write the Jewish Sacred Scrip- 
tures, the Patriarchs had rational and correct 
ideas and views of the Existence of the Supreme 
Being, even when the other nations of the world 
entertained erroneous and superstitious ideas and 
views of His Existence. 



30 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE REUGIOM 

But in opposition to this claim of the Jewish 
Nation, the other nations of the world made count- 
er claims, and argued that their ideas and views 
of the existence of the Supreme Being were cor- 
rect, and that the Jewish nation held erroneous and 
suprious ideas and views of the Supreme Being. 
Thus, these charges and counter-charges and these 
criminations and re-criminations among the na- 
tions of the world, as to the manner and the mode 
of the existence of the Supreme Being, have been 
prevalent all along the ages ; and the end of these 
theological bickerings does not seem to be in 
immediate view. 

In connection with this idea of the Existence of 
the Supreme Being, another very important ques- 
tion has been asked, and that is, From whence did 
the various nations get their names of the Supreme 
Being? 

In answer it can be said, that all of the leading 
rations of antiquity had specific names by which 
they designated their chief divinities; and these 
names were either descriptive of the nature of 
the existence of their gods or were definitions of 
their character. Thus, the ancient Egyptians 
termed their chief gods, Isis and Osiris. The chief 
god of the Phoenecians, was known as Baal. The 
ancient Grecians spoke of their chief god as, Theos, 
and the ancient Romans knew their chief god as, 
Deus. From time immemorial, and especially from 
the time that Abraham founded the Jewish Na- 
tion, the Jewish people have designated the Su- 
preme Being of the Universe as, Elohi?yi. But 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 31 

it has only been since the beginning of the so-called 
Christian Era, and since the Jewish Sacred Scrip- 
tures have been translated into the English lan- 
guage has the Supreme Being of the Universe been 
designed as, God. 

The term "God," does not necessarily carry with 
it the idea of Divinity, but, in its generic sense, 
;t simply means good ; and is descriptive of char- 
acter. The ancient Anglo-Saxons looked upon 
their Ruler as a Being that was infinitely good, 
and they therefore designated Him as, God, or as 
2 Being that it infinitely Good. 

Verdict of the Jury 

We the Jury, after considering the claims of the 
various Nations as to the Existence and the Na- 
ture of their God or gods, do render the following 
verdict. 

First, We aver that the ideas and views of the 
existence of the Supreme Being, as held by most of 
the ancient nations of the world were erroneous 
ideas and views. 

Second, We further aver that the Jewish Na- 
tion, from the days of Abraham down to the pres- 
ent day, has entertained rational and correct ideas 
and views of the Existence of the Supreme Being ; 
and we therefore recommend the study of the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures to this end. 

(Signed) The JURY 



32 THS TRUE BR I MIT I YE RELIGION 

CHAPTER III. 
THE ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES AND CHAR- 



The great and all-important query of the Exis- 
tence of a Supreme Being having been definitely 
settled to the entire satisfaction of all rational 
minds, the next query that arises in the mind of all 
seekers after religious truth is, Who is God, and 
what are some of His Essential Attributes and 
Characteristics ? 

In seeking for a suitable and a reasonable re- 
sponse to these very important queries, Rational 
Theologians and Philosophers have agreed among 
themselves, that there are two reliable sources 
from which this information can be derived. First, 
Rational Theologians tell us, that this information 
can be gotten from the Jewish Sacred Scriptures ; 
which they claim, contain correct ideas and views 
of the Supreme Being. 

Second, Rational Philosophers tell us that this 
information can be gotten also from the Book of 
Nature, which they claim, when it is rightly in- 
terpreted, contains the foot-prints of the livin2; 
and the true God. 

Thus, Theologians claim, that from the teach- 
ings of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, man gets a 
knowledge of rational and true theology; and 
Philosophers claim that from the teachings of the 
Book of Nature, he gets a knowlelge of rational 
and true philosophy. 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 33 

Now, as to the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, it will 
be noted again, that the Jurors of Rational 
Thoughts Concerning the Living and the True God, 
have already decreed, that from the writings of 
this Sacred Book, and from this Book alone, man 
can get rational ideas and views of the living and 
the true God. From this it can be gleaned, that 
the Jewish Sacred Scriptures is the only authentic 
and authorized Volume from which man can get 
revealed and correct ideas and views of the Su- 
preme Being; and we of this day, should seek to 
formulate our rational ideas and views of the Su- 
preme Being from the teachings of this old Sacred 
Book, and not to be deluded by the false and er- 
roneous teachings of the many religious pagan 
books that are now extant in the world, claiming 
to be inspirations from God. 

As to the Book of Nature, it will be noted, that 
these Jurors have also decreed, that when this 
Book is rightly and correctly interpreted, it will 
not only assist man in forming correct and rational 
ideas and views of the Supreme Being, but it will 
also assist him in forming the highest and the most 
exalted ideas and views of His Essential Attributes 
and Characteristics. 

Thus, in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, Moses 
introduces his sacred writings, by laying the bases 
of both rational Theology and Philosophy, by say- 
ing: "In the beginning God created the heaven and 
the earth." But not only this, it can be seen in this 
introductory verse of the Jewish Sacred Scrip- 



34 THE TRUE PRIMlTi; : 

lures, that Moses has so arranged it, as to infer- 
rentially include in it all of the Essential Attri- 
butes and Characteristics of the Supreme Being; 
and it has been admitted by all rational theolo- 
gians, that all that man has learned and can learn 
with any degree of certainty about the Essential 
Attributes of the Supreme Being are inferred and 
suggested in this first verse of this Jewish Sacred 
Volume. 

But some one might raise a question as to the 
truthfulness of the above assertion, by saying, 
Kow can the Essential Attributes and Character- 
istics of the Supreme Being be suggested, or even 
intimated, by a mere statement? especially when 
Moses does not mention any of God's Attributes, 
but simply relates, in a few words, the acts of 
Divine Creation. In answer to this important 
question it can indeed be said, that learned Theo- 
logians and eminent Philosophers have agreed, 
that, in relating God's creative actions, Moses 
did not only write in a declarative sense by saying 
v.'hat God had done, but they hold also that he 
wrote in a suggestive sense, and that God's At- 
tributes and Characteristics have suggested them- 
selves to man by the nature of his creative actions. 
Thus they say, the first thought that suggests it- 
self to the mind of man when he reads the crea- 
tional declaration of Moses is, 

The Eternal Existence of the Supreme Being. 
Although Moses made no special allusion to the 
eternal Existence of the Supreme Being in his in- 



THK TRUK P-RIMIT1YR KRF.IGION 35 

troductory verse of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, 
\et theologians say, the Eternal Existence of the 
Supreme Being is a rational thought, and would 
naturally suggest itself to the mind of man when 
he reads the declaration of Moses, which says, "In 
the beginning God created the heaven and the 
earth." 

That the Jewish Nation considered God as of 
Eternal Existence was a doctrine that had always 
been prevalent with that people, even before Moses 
wrote their Sacred Scriptures; for as the God of 
their fathers was the Creator of all things, they 
logically concluded, that He must have Existed 
prior to the acts of His Creation and therefore, 
lie must have been of Eternal Duration. 

But the thought that God has always existed, 
and will continue to exist in all times to come, is 
indeed a topic for deep meditation, and a subject 
tor the greatest consideration. That Moses con- 
sidered the Eternal Existence of the Supreme Be- 
i/i'g, as one of His Essential Attributes and Char- 
acteristics can be inferred from the fact, that just 
before the Jewish Nation entered into the Land of 
Canaan, he gathered around him the Elders of 
the twelve Tribes of Israel, and in addressing 
them, said. "The Eternal God is thy refuge; un- 
derneath are the Everlasting Arms." 

But another very important question has been 
asked in connection with this subject, and that is, 
Does the Book of Nature suggest to the mind of 
man the Eternal Existence of a Supreme Being? 
In answer to this inquiry, eminent Philosophers 



36 thh: true primitive religion 

say, that every phenomenon, and every event in 
the material world, whether understood or not, 
all point to a Supreme Being, who of necessity 
must have been of Eternal Duration ; for it is an 
axiom in Philosophy that there can be no effect 
without a cause; except what Philosophers are 
pleased to call, "The Original Cause, or the Pri- 
mary Effect." Thus they claim, that this Origi- 
nal Cause, or this Primary Effect, must of neces- 
sity have been of eternal existence. From this 
process of reasoning, it can readily be seen, that 
a Primary Effect that is without an Original Cause 
carries with it the idea of Eternity, and that this 
Primary Effect and this Original Cause must 
essentially be of Eternal Duration. 

Thus from the teachings of the first verse of the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures, Theologians of ration- 
al theology get their ideas and views of the Eter- 
nal Existence of the Supreme Being ; and from the 
teachings of the Book of Nature, Philosophers of 
lational philosophy get their ideas and views of 
the Eternal Existence of Primary Cause and 
Effect. 

A Self -Existing Being 

If there is one thought of which the Jewish Na- 
tion has been justly proud all along the ages, and 
is indeed justly proud of to-day, is the thought, 
that all of their rational ideas and views of the 
Supreme Being came down to them primarily 
in a direct line from Adam, the first historic man 
of creation ; whom they say, received his informa- 
tion as to the Self-Existence of his Creator from 



THE TRUB PRIMITIVE RELIGION 37 

his innate, or his intuitive faculties, which were 
implanted within him at the time of his creation. 
Thus the Jewish Nation claims, that this source 
of information and communication was the pri- 
mary, or the original method and means by which 
God revealed Himself to the first man of His cre- 
ation. 

But not only this, it is also said, that when 
Moses conversed with the Elders of Israel, and 
the heads of the Tribes of his people, when they 
v. ere in Camp in the Wilderness, he found that 
all of them were conversant with the thought of 
the Self-Existence of the Supreme Being, for all of 
them reverently referred to Him as "Jehovah;" 
v.hich means in the Hebrew Tongue, "The Self- 
Existing Being." 

Thus it is said, that this idea of the Self-Ex- 
■stence of the Supreme Being has long been 
cherished by the Jewish Nation, and this tenet 
has also been readily admitted by all rational 
theologians. 

But another great question has arisen, and that 
is, Does the Book of Nature suggest such a thought 
as a Self-Existing Being? In answer to this ques- 
tion, it can indeed be said, that all rational phil- 
osophers of to-day, have unanimously acclaimed, 
r \ hat the fundamental principle of philosophy is 
tased upon the philosophical fact, "that there is 
no Effect without a corresponding Cause, except 
the Original or the Primary Cause ; and that this 
original Cause must of necessity be Self -Existing." 

Thus the conclusion of the whole matter is, The 



38 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

Jehovah of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures is the 
Self -Existing God of Theology; and that the Pri- 
mary Cause of the Book of Nature is the Self-Ex- 
isting Cause of Philosophy. 

Verdict of the Jury 
We the Jury of Rational Thoughts concerning 
the Supreme Being of the Universe, do agree with 
the ideas and views expressed in this chapter as 
to the Essential Attributes and Characteristics 
of the Supreme Being ; and recommend their care- 
ful study and deep consideration. 

(Signed) The JURY 



THR TRUK PRIMTTIVTC FTtLIGlON 39 

CHAPTER IV. 
ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES AND CHARAC- 
TERISTICS OF THE SUPREME BEING 
(Continued) 
An Immutable Being 

The term Immutability has been used by modern 
theologians in connection with the Supreme Being, 
in referring to His steadfastness, His stability and 
His unchangeableness. That the Supreme Being- 
is immutable in all of His Characteristics is in 
strict accord with the rules of sound logic and 
rational thought; for without these immutable 
characteristics He could not be God. 

Thus from the earliest stages of the foundation 
of the Jewish Nation, the Immutability of the 
Supreme Being was one among the many Char- 
acteristics that the Jewish Sacred writers de- 
lighted to dwell upon, for they all declared, "That 
with God there is no variableness, neither is there 
a shadow of a turning." This is also true of the 
Primary Cause of philosophy, for philosophers tell 
us, that the laws that govern the world are im- 
mutable laws, and that the principles of philosophy 
are just the same now as when matter was first 
brought into existence. 

A Spiritual Being 

That God is purely a Spiritual Being is not 
only attested by all rational Theologians and Phil- 
osophers, but it is also one of the cherished tra- 
ditions of the Jewish Nation which has been re- 



40 THE TROTS PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

corded in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, and which 
has also been amply demonstrated in the Book of 
Nature. It is said that eminent Theologians and 
Philosophers have agreed, that Moses in his sacred 
writings has given the most rational and logical 
explanations of the real Nature of the Divine 
Being, that has been given by any one since the 
days of Adam. To this end, we are informed that 
Moses in writing his own biography says, when 
he was in the Land of Midian God appeared unto 
him in a vision, and revealed Himself unto him 
out of the midst of a burning bush. Moses knew 
that something of an extraordinary character 
was taking place, and believing that the presence 
of the Almighty was being manifested to him, 
Moses made inquiry as to His name ; and God said 
unto Moses, "My Name is, I am that I am." Thus 
Theologians say, that when God related to Moses 
His name, He included also His Nature ; for we are 
informed, that the personal pronoun "I" to the 
ancient Jewish nation had specific reference to 
the Soul, or the Spirit. Thus when God told 
Moses that His name was "I am," Moses under- 
stood Him to mean that He was a Spiritual Being, 
and as such, He was without body or parts. But 
when God made a repetition of His name to Moses 
and said, "I am that I am," it was made plain to 
Moses by this repetition of His name, that God 
alone was the Self-Existing Spiritual Being, the 
Creator and the Ruler of the Universe. 

But the question is sometimes asked, What is 
the Nature of the Primary Cause, which is taught 



THE TRUJ* PRIMITIVE RELIGION 41 

in the Book of Nature, and which is held by all 
rational Philosophers? In order to find out some- 
thing about the Nature of this Primary Cause, 
most of the ancient heathen philosophers spent 
much time, and made deep researches; but after 
all of their mental energies, they were greatly 
puzzled and perplexed in their investigations, and 
finally they were compelled to exclaim, "That the 
nature of this Primary Cause is a great mystery/' 
Then there are some modern speculative philoso- 
phers who have also tried to solve this great prob- 
lem as to the Primary Cause of philosophy, but 
they have been unable to solve it, and they too have 
cried out, "It is the unknown, It is the unknown/' 
But in this enlightened day, and especially since 
the ancient Jewish Sacred Scriptures have re- 
vealed the Name and the Nature of the Supreme 
Being, Rational Philosophers of the Book of Na- 
ture have both discovered that the Primary Cause 
of philosophy and the Primary Cause of theology 
is the one and the same Being, who is the Great 
•7 am" or the Great Spiritual Ruler and Pre- 
server of the Universe. 

An Omnipotent Being 

In a theological sense, the term Omnipotence 
means "All Powerful." It is irtdeed evident, that 
Moses gleaned the idea and was convinced of the 
Omnipotence of the Supreme Being from the nar- 
ration of the tradition of the Elders of Israel when 
in Camp in the Wilderness, and when the Elders 
told him, that the God of their fathers had created 



42 , THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION. 

the heavens and the earth. Not only this, but these 
Elders told Moses that God revealed Himself 
imto Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as "El 
Shaddai," or the "Mighty God." From this it can 
be seen, that the Jewish Nation has always had a 
traditional knowledge of the Omnipotence of the 
Supreme Being, and at a very early period of its 
national existence the Jewish Sacred Writers 
classed the Omnipotence of the Supreme Bein^ 
as one of His Essential Attributes. Thus one of 
the writers of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures ex- 
claimed : "Great and marvelous are thy works. 
Lord God Almighty; for He spake and it was 
done ; He commanded, and it stood fast." 

As to the Book of Nature, Philosophers have 
been compelled to ascribe to Primary Cause in- 
finite power, for all rational philosophers have de- 
clared that it was by infinite power that all things 
were made which do now appear. It is generally 
admitted by both, the theologian and the philoso- 
pher, that when they scan the heaven that is 
above them, and the earth that is beneath them 
they can see the wonderful effects of Infinite 
Power, and in considering their immensity and 
vastness, they are compelled to exclaim as did 
the Psalmist, "The .heavens declare the power 
or glory of God ; and the firmament showeth his 
handiworks." 

An Omnipresent Being. 
In a theological sense, the Omnipresence of God 
has reference to His Unlimited Existence, and that 



THR TRUR PRIMITIVE FHLIGION - 43 

His Presence fills all space. It will be noted in 
studying the religious ideas and views of the 
Jewish Nation, we find that their thoughts of the 
Supreme Being were not only rational, but they 
were also in most every particular, essentially cor- 
rect and purely logical. Thus the traditional ideas 
and views of the Omnipresence of the Living and 
the True God have been prevalent among that 
nation, for this great Attribute of Jehovah, all 
along the ages was preached by their Patriarchs, 
and proclaimed by their Prophets. It is said that 
David expressed the Jewish thought of the Omni- 
presence of the Supreme Being that was current 
in his. day when he exclaimed: "Whither shall 
I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into 
heaven, thou art there; If I make my bed in 
hell, or the grave, behold thou art there; If I take 
the wings of the morning and dwell in the utter- 
most parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand 
load me, and thy right hand hold me." 

Not only this, but all rational theologians of 
today declare that the Omnipresence of God is 
essentially one of His characteristics, for His 
presence must of necessity fill all space, for where 
God is not there can be no space. 

But it has been asked, If the Book of Nature 
teaches or even intimates that the Primary Cause 
that underlies all effects is Omnipresent in its 
nature? In answer, it may be said that the Omni- 
presence of Primary Cause is in no respect repug- 
nant with the philosophic view of nature ; but the 



41 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

thought is in most every respect reasonable, logi- 
cal, and above all, profoundly Rational. That this 
is so, eminent philosophers inform us, that the 
human mind cannot conceive of a particle of space 
anywhere in this great expanse of the Universe 
where this Primary Cause does not exist ; for it is 
an axiom of philosophy, "That wherever space, 
or any effect is found, Cause is there also on the 
ground." Thus the Rational conclusion is drawn 
by all rational theologians and philosophers, that 
the Omnipresence of God is taught in the tenets 
of rational theology as well as in the axioms of 
rational philosophy. 

An Omniscient Being 

Theologically considered, the term Omniscience 
means all knowing; all knowledge, hence, unlimi- 
ted wisdom. 

That God is all wise, and that He Knows all 
things, even the very secrets of the heart is one of 
the Proverbs of the Jewish Nation, and this 
Thought has been nurtured and fostered by that 
people with the greatest of care, and held with the 
greatest of tenacity by them all along the ages. 
Thus the Prophet Ezekiel spoke the sentiment and 
the views of the Jewish Nation when he exclaimed, 
"Lord, Thou knowest all things." The great in- 
finite wisdom of God is to be seen and observed in 
the orderly system of His creation; in the har- 
monious laws by which He governs the Universe, 
and in all of His handiworks that are to be found 
in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath. 



THK TRUK P:HMITIVT<: FFLIG10N -' . , 

From this it can be seen, that the Omniscience 
of the Supreme Being is taught in the Book of 
Nature as well as in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, 
and it has become a settled fact of philosophy as 
well as of theology. 

A Monotheistic Being 

The term above is used by rational theologians 
to express the doctrine of the Oneness and the 
Unity of the Existence of the Supreme Being, as 
held exclusively by the Jewish Nation, in contrast 
to the Polytheistic and the Tri-Theistic doctrines 
of His existence as held by many of the other 
nations of the world. That the Jewish nation has 
always been Monotheistic in its ideas and views of 
the Existence of the Supreme Being is indeed evi- 
dent, for this thought of God was one of its most 
ancient and cherished traditions which had come 
down to that nation from the days of Adam, the 
first historic man of creation it was also the 
traditional doctrine on which that nation was 
founded, and it was the grounds on which the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures were based. 

Not only this, but when Moses was upon the 
burning Mount of Sinai, it is said that God gave 
him certain commandments, which is commonly 
called the "ten commandments;" the bases of 
which underlie the Monotheistic idea of the Ex- 
istence of the Supreme Being, for Moses was com- 
manded to speak unto his people and to say unto 
them, "I am the Lord thy God; Thou shalt have 



46 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

:w otner gods before me ; Thou shalt not bow down 
to them, nor serve them." Thus from this it 
can be seen, that the Supreme Being is purely 
Monotheistic in His Existence, and by no mathe- 
matical calculations, nor by any theological manip- 
ulations can He be said to be polytheistic nor tri- 
theistic in His Existence. 

Now as to the Book of Nature, rational philoso- 
phers have all agreed that there is but one Pri- 
mary Cause, and that this Cause alone, is the pro- 
ducer of all material and immaterial Effects. 

Thus from the foregoing it can be seen, that 
the Jewish Sacred Scriptures and the philoso- 
pher's Book of Nature unite in their teachings of 
the Monotheistic Existence of the Supreme Being, 
for both of them declare, "There is but one Living 
and True God, everlasting, without body or parts, 
of infinite power and wisdom, and the Maker and 
Preserver of all things visible and invisible." 

A Holy and a Hallowed Being 
The term Holy as applied to God has reference 
to His goodness and the righteousness of His 
character; and the term Hallowed has reference 
to the exaltedness and the sacredness of His Being. 
Thus David expressed the Jewish exalted idea of 
the Character and the Being of God when he ex- 
claimed : "Holy and reverend is His name." 

Not only this, but all rational theologians and 
philosophers have come to the conclusion, that the 
Supreme Being of the Universe is indeed essential- 
ly Holy in His character and essentially Halloived 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 47 

in His Being, for without these essential charac- 
teristics, He could not be God. 

That the Supreme Being of the Universe, was 
both Holy in His character and Hallowed in His 
Being, was a thought so deeply implanted in the 
Jewish heart and mind, that all of the Jewish 
Sacred writers made prominent and frequent allu- 
sions to them in their work of prose and poetry. 

Not only does the term Holy have reference to 
the righteous character of the Supreme Being, but 
it refers also to His infinite Goodness, especially 
in His dealings with the Children of men; and 
more especially with the Jewish Nation, because 
God had selected that Nation to be the custodian 
of the correct ideas and views of His Existence and 
of His Character from among the other nations of 
the world. Under the head of the Goodness of God 
to the children of men is to be included, His love ; 
His sympathy; His justice; His forgiveness; His 
forbearance and His mercy. Indeed each and 
every act of the Supreme Being that He has ex- 
erted among the children of men is to be included 
under the head of His Goodness, for by His Na- 
ture, He is a "Holy and a Hallowed Being." 

But inquiry has been made as to the testimony 
of the Book of Nature, whether it attributes to 
Primary Cause a moral character or not, and if so, 
in what way can the Goodness of Primary Cause 
be traceable in the Book of Nature? 

In answer to this very inportant inquiry, phil- 
osophers say, that the Book of Nature abounds in 



£8 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

the thought of the Goodness of Primary Cause and 
Effect, for it is manifested in the grandeur of 
the heavens that are above, and in the beautiful 
earth that is beneath. 

Then again these philosophers tell us, that the 
Book of Nature points out in many specific ways 
that Primary Cause, which is its author, is infinte 
in Goodness in its harmonious laws of nature, 
and is also infinite in Goodness in adapting these 
laws to the requirements of the children of mem 
Thus they say, that the Goodness of God is the 
Corner-stone of Rational Theology, and the Arch- 
stone of Rational Philosophy . 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, are of unanimous agreement that 
this chapter on the Essential Attributes and Char- 
acteristics of the Supreme Being comply with the 
teachings of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, and 
are also in strict accord with the philosophy of 
the Book of nature 

(Signed) The JURY. 



THK:TKrr BRrarrnnt r^^ightf: 

CHAPTER V. 
MATERIAL CREATION 

The term "Creation," in its. primary and generic 
sense means, that which is brought into existence 
which formerly had no being. In a theological 
sense, it is that act of the Supreme Being, in 
bringing material substance out of that which 
formerly had no existence; it is non-entity, ma- 
terialized ; it is Spiritual Primary Cause producing 
material effects and it is the act of God material- 
izing, as it were, His thoughts in the making 
and the formation of the heaven and the earth. 

While it is true, that the import and meaning 
of these definitions are about the same in sub- 
ce, yet, we have stated them to show the line 
of harmony that runs through the minds of the 
various writers, in their definitions on this impor- 
tant subject. 

It will be noted, that the subject of Creation, 
or the origin of visible and invisible things, is not 
one of recent date, but it has been discussed by 
Sages and Philosophers all along the ages ; for man 
has ever been curious to learn something as to the 
origin of the visible effects with which he is sur- 
rounded. Thus to account for the physical phe- 
nena which is apparent, ancient and 
osophers have entered into speculations, and 
have devise^ many theories, which they have held 
with tenacity and defended with vigor. 



50 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

It is said that the ancient philosophers, who 
lived outside of the sphere of the teachings of the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures, had but a vague idea of 
the origin of the heaven and the earth ; and they 
therefore, dealt in many fallacious speculations, 
and devised many erroneous and irrational theo- 
ries, which they thought was a reasonable expla- 
nation to account for their existence. To this end, 
it is said, that Aristotle, a noted Grecian philoso- 
pher, who lived about 350 B. C, taught that the 
world, in its present organized state, as we now see 
it, existed from all eternity. It is also said, that 
Epicurus, another celebrated Grecian philosopher, 
who also lived about 350 B. C., taught that the 
world existed from all eternity, but not in its pres- 
ent organized state, but in atoms; and that these 
atoms were confusedly flying about in space, until 
on some occasion they happened to come together 
in such a way as to constitute this organized 
earth. 

It is said, that Socrates, the greatest of all 
Grecian philosophers, and Plato, the celebrated 
pupil of Socrates taught, that the world was an 
intelligent being; and Zenophanes held, that God 
and the world were the same being. 

We are told, that many Roman philosophers con- 
sidered the heavens a solid vault, studded with glit- 
tering stars. 

In the Hindoo philosophy, the world was repre- 
sented as flat and tri-angular, and composed of 
several stories, the whole mass being upon the 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 51 

head of huge elephants; who in turn were sup- 
ported by a huge tortoise. 

The theory that the world is an emanation from 
the gods, and therefore a part of them, was a 
doctrine of some oriental religions, and was also 
adopted by some of the Grecian philosophers. 

These were some of the theories devised by men, 
who had no other light to guide them but the 
Book of Nature ; which they misunderstood and 
wrongly interpreted, and which caused them to 
form erroneous theories, as to the origin of exist- 
ing things. 

But in this enlightened day, when the golden 
rays of Scriptural revelation, and the teachings 
of true philosophy are diffusing their lustre in all 
the land, and are speaking in voices that are dis- 
tinct and unmistakable, all should listen to their 
infallible teachings, and gladly accept their ra- 
tional and logical instruction. 

But notwithstanding these admitted facts, yet, 
there are some modern philosophers, who are 
blessed with astute minds, and who claim to be in 
search of the true light, who wilfully reject the 
true light of Scriptural revelation, and the true 
teachings of philosophy, and like the ancient hea- 
then philosophers, who had not this effulgent light 
to guide them, they devise their own theories as 
to the origin of visible things, and they also hold 
them with tenacity and defend them with vigor. 

Prominent among the many theories, that have 
arisen in these latter days to account for existing 
things, is the Nebula Hypothesis. This theory 



52 THK TRUE -pimriTTYE RF.LIGrO-'N- 

teaches, that this earth and all the planets v 
thrown off by the sun, the central mass, and that 
the satellites were thrown off by the planets. 

The Pantheistic Theory is said to teach, 
God is the All, and the All is God. 

The Theory of Materialism holds, that every- 
thing is matter, and matter is everything. 

The Evolution Theory, as it is being taught 
today, claims that all things that now f:r : 
brought about by Natural Laws. 

Thus it can be seen, .that these theories w 
have been devised by these.latter day philosoph 
in spite of the teachings of Scriptural revelation, 
and in the face of true philosophy; and some of 
them seem to have been, devised for the express 
purpose of counteracting the teachings, of the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures and the Book of Nature. 

As to the true origin of matter, and all things 
visible, students of Jewish Sacred Scriptures and 
the Book of Nature declare, that the Mosaic ac- 
count of creation is the most consistent and re 
ble that has ever been given ; and that it is the 
only traditional narrative of the creation of ma- 
terial things that has stood the test of rational 
and logical investigations. 

Thus it was, that when Moses' was in the 
derness, he inquired of the Eiders of Israel, what 
traditional information they possessed as to the 
origin of visible things; The Elders said to M<: 
in plain and unmistakable words, "In the be( 
ning God, (Elohim) c 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 53 

earth." 

But not only did Moses record the traditional 
creational acts of the Supreme Being, as was told 
to him by the Elders of Israel, but the prophet 
Jeremiah, several hundreds of years later, also ex- 
pressed the Jewish idea of the creation of matter, 
by saying, "God made the earth by his power, and 
established the world by his wisdom, and stretched 
out the heavens by his discretion." 

But not only does the Jewish Sacred Scriptures 
tell of the author of creation, but the Book of 
Nature also joins in the story, and exclaims, "The 
hand that made all things is Divine." 

Verdict of the Jury. 
We, the Jury of rational thoughts concerning 
the living and the true God, unanimously agree 
that in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures as well as in 
the Book of Nature are to be found the true ac- 
count of the origin of matter, and the creation of 
the heaven and the earth. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



54 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

CHAPTER VI. 

EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS OF MATERIAL 

CREATION. 

It will be noted, that in the discussion of Ma- 
terial Creation, only the origin of matter was con- 
sidered; but in this chapter, the period of Crea- 
tion, and the evolutionary process through which 
it went will be considered. 

While it has been the teachings and the belief 
of the Jewish nation all along the ages, that God 
was indeed the Creator of the heaven and the 
earth, yet there has also been much speculation 
going on among theological chronologers and phil- 
osophers in reference to the age of this world ; as 
to when it was created, and the evolutionary pro- 
cess through which it went. As will be seen, this 
controversy has not been confined exclusively to 
ancient heathen philosophers, and the enemies of 
the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, but it has been en- 
gaged in by some eminent theologians of today; 
who have discussed it with great fervor and can- 
dor, bordering on that of passionate zeal. 

Some theologians say, that God, for some pur- 
pose which he has not revealed to man, has not 
disclosed to him the definite time, when 
from nothing, something came, for all that 
the Elders of Israel told Moses concerning 
the creational period was, "In the begin- 
ning God created the heaven and the earth." But 
without any authority, and in the spirit of specula- 
tion, many modern theological chronologers have 



THK TRUE PRIMITIVK RELIGION i)Ci 

seen fit to date the period of the Mosaic account of 
creation to 4004 B. C. ; and have made all subse- 
quent events that have happened in the history of 
man, contingent to that date. But there are some 
chronologers who hold, that this definite period 
\ hich has been stated, does not refer to the actual 
period of creation, but it simply refers to the be- 
ginning of organized time; such as days, weeks 
and years, which have been arranged for the con- 
venience of man. In this enlightened day, there 
are many eminent scientists who hold, that, ac- 
cording to the teachings of science, especially the 
science of geology, this earth is many millions of 
years older than some modern chronologers, and 
many eminent modern theologians ascribe to the 
Moaic creation; and they claim, that it is only 
known to the Creator, and to him alone, the origin, 
and the beginning of creation. 

But not only this, some theologians have specu- 
lated as to the length of the days, through which 
Moses described the evolutionary period as having 
gone. Some chronologers argue, that they were 
days as our present day; consisting of twenty-four 
hours ; while others contend, that they were indef- 
inite periods, and had no reference to specific time 
as it is now divided; which contention seems to 
be the more reasonable and rational, and more 
conformable to the ideas of creation which the 
Elders of Israel wished to convey. 

But in considering the event of creation, as is re- 
corded in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures by the pen 
of Moses, the question has been asked, "From 



56 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

whom did Moses get his information as to the 
orderly and evolutionary periods through . which 
creation went?" In answer to this important 
query, Moses said, That after God had created the 
heaven and the earth, the Elders of Israel said to 
him, "The earth was without form, and void ; and 
darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the 
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 
And God said, Let there be light, and there was 
light. And God divided the light from the dark- 
ness, and He called the light, Day, and the dark- 
ness He called, Night. And the evening and the 
morning were the first Day;" or as some theolo- 
gians are pleased to term it, the evening and the 
morning were the "first period." 

But it will be noticed in this first period of 
creation, that there was no sun, moon nor stars by 
which time could be measured ; and the light which 
is spoken of during this period, is said to have been 
phosphorescent displays. Then again, it is said, 
that the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the 
waters. This Spirit, it is thought, means the 
breath, or the life giving properties of God which 
He injected into this world, preparatory to the 
living creatures that should inhabit the earth. Not 
only this, some scientists call this period, "The 
Voidless Age;" for Moses wrote, that the earth 
was without form, and void; and darkness was 
upon the face of the deep. This period has also 
been called, "The Pre-scientific Age," for there 
was nothing in it to lay the bases of scientific 
reseaixh. 



THK TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 57 

Passing from this voidless and this pre-scientific 
age, when there were no uniform laws, as we now 
have them, to govern this universe, the Elders of 
Israel told Moses that God said, "Let there be a 
firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it 
divide the waters from the waters." 

Thus they said, that God made the firmament 
and divided the waters which were under the fir- 
mament from the waters which were above the 
firmament. And God called the firmament, 
"Heaven." This, the Elders of Israel told Moses 
was done on the second Day, or period of evolu- 
tionary creation. 

On the third Day, or period of evolutionary cre- 
ation, the Elders of Israel told Moses, that God 
said, "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered 
together unto one place, and let the dry land ap- 
pear." And God called the dry land, "Earth ;" and 
the gathering together of the waters called He, 
"Seas." And God said, "Let the earth bring forth 
g^ass ; the herb yielding seed, and the fruit yield- 
ing fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon 
the earth ; and it was so." 

Not only this, but the Elders of Israel told 
Moses, that on the fourth Day, or period of evolu- 
tionary creation "God said, Let there be lights in 
the firmament of the heaven to divide the day 
from the night ; and let them be for signs, and for 
seasons, and for days and for years : and let them 
be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to 
give light upon the earth: and it was so. And 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

God made two great lights ; the 

the sun the greater light to rule the day; and the 
moon, the lesser light to rule the night: He n~ 
the stars also," 

On the fifth Day of evolutionary 
creation, the Elders of Israel t 
(xod said, "Let the waters bring forth abundantly 
ring creatures that hath life ; and fowls tl 
y fly above the earth in the 
heaven. And God created great whales an l - ei 

: that moveth, which the 
"I i ought forth abundantly, after their kii 
every winged fowl after his ki 
that it was good." 

But it will be seen, that on the sixth a 
of evolutionary creation, the : ng act of 

of God's work of creatioi 
the Elders of Israel to lat God said 

this Day, "Let us make 
after our own likeness ; and let him 
over the fish of the sea, and ever the fowl ci 
lie cattle 
lg that ereepeth upon the earth. So G 
ated man in His own image, in the 
created He him ; male and : 
them." Thus the Elders of Is: 
"God saw everything that He had made, i 
lid, it was-very good." 
But after the heavens and the 
finished, and all the host of them, the \ 
Israel said, that on the seventh Day God en 

hich He had made ; and He rested on 



nth Day from all His work which He had 
made. And God blessed the seventh Day, 
sanctified it : because that in it He had rested from 
£.11 His work which God created and made." t 

Thus the Jewish nation claims that this is the 

rce of their information as to the orderly 

and the evolutionary creation of the heaven 

and the earth; it was the traditior 

their fathers which had come down to them from 

first historic man of creation ; and it was 
to Moses by the Elders of Israel when they were 
J amp in the wilderness, on their way to the 
Land of Canaan. 

Not only this, but the Jewish nation claims, 
: this traditional information as' was related 
loses by the Elders of Israel has been far 
fully recorded in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures. 

Then again philosophers say, that this account 
of creation as recorded by Moses in the Je 
Sacred Scriptures, agree in the main with all 
scientific data ; and that from the orderly pro : 
of evolutionary creation can be found the bases of 
biology; astronomy; ornithology; zoology; geolo- 
mronology; sociology, and the like. 

Verdict of the Jury 

We, the Jury of rational thoughts concern: 
the living and the true God. do aver that the 
count of creation as recorded in the Jewish Sac 
Scriptures by Moses, who received his information 
from the tradition of the Elders of Israel, are of 



60 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

the opinion that it is in the line of rational thought, 
and should be accepted by all rational and philo- 
sophic thinkers. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



THR TRUR PIUMITIVH KKUGIOX Gl 

CHAPTER VII. 
MAN, A SPECIAL ACT OF CREATION 

It will be noted in the previous chapter on the 
"Evolutionary process of creation," that the crea- 
tion of man was referred to as having taken place 
on the sixth and last Day or period of creation. 
But it will be noted again, that the creation of man 
was not in form of evolutionary process like the 
other acts of divine creation, for the Elders of 
Israel gave Moses more detail information as to 
man's creation than he did concerning the creation 
of any other creature. Thus the Elders of Israel 
said to Moses concerning the creation of man, 
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, 
after our likeness : and let him have dominion over 
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, 
and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over 
every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 
So God created man in his own image, in the image 
of God created He him; male and female created 
He them. And God blessed them, and God said 
unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replen- 
ish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion 
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the 
air, and over every living thing that moveth 
upon the earth." Thus it was, that the Elders of 
Israel in concluding their traditional narrative as 
to the creation of man, said to Moses, "And the 
Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, 
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; 
and man became a living soul." 



62 THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

Thus from this traditional narrative which was 
related to Moses by the Elders of Israel it can 
be readily seen, that the creation of man did not 
come under the general head of creation, for in 
the first place, man was not created only a physi- 
cal being like the other animals of creation, but 
he was also created an intellectual and a moral 
being ; and in the next place, he was created with 
such dominant powers by which he could have do- 
minion over all other creatures of creation. Then 
?gain, his creation was the climax and the master- 
piece of all of God's works, for he was formed 
and fashioned in the image and likeness of hi: 
Creator, which indeed makes him a separate and 
a distinct creature from all the other animals of 
creation, for man alone, bears a portion of the 
diviaae nature, and communicates with the Crea- 
tor. 

But not only is this true as to man being a 
special act of creation, as to his mental and moral 
natures, but it is also true as to his religious 
nature. So far as is known, man is the only crea- 
ture, who has been endowed with such faculties 
with which he can intuitively discern the exis- 
tence of a Supreme Being, and with which he can 
worship and adore his Creator. 

It is indeed a fact, that these special religious 
faculties with which man has been endowed were 
general as to man, and not special as to individ- 
uals; and no man or set of men have the right 
to claim a monopoly of them, and to make the 



TIIK TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION t 3 

claim, that all other men should acknowledge 
them, and should look up to them as their religious 
guide and instructor. But if one man seems to be 
more highly cultured in a certain faculty than an- 
other,- it is not because the cultured man has been 
endowed with faculties with which others have not 
been blessed, but it is simply due to the fact, that 
the cultured man has exercised and cultivated 
rhese faculties to a greater • extent than has his 
fellow man. As an argument to this effect, it has 
been clearly demonstrated that the first man of 
creation was created a perfect being as to his hu- 
manity, and as his posterity came from him by 
propagation, it is evident that all of the human 
species possessed the same faculties as the pro- 
pagator, and that no one can claim to be the 
natural superior to the other. 

But above all, this special act of creation on 
the part of man was due, no doubt, to the fact 
that man was created for a specific work, which 
up to the period of his creation, could not be per- 
formed by any other creature. 

Thus man was created with special rational 
mental faculties; and these faculties were capable 
of unlimited human expansion, and were given 
to man for the specific purpose of contemplating 
his Creator, and of comprehending the great plan 
of divine creation. 

Man was also created with special moral fac- 
ulties, and these faculties were also capable of 
vast moral expansion, and were given to man for 



(A THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

the specific purpose of enabling him to understand 
the moral nature, or the goodness of the Supreme 
Being, and also for him to cultivate and to imitate 
divine moral acts. 

Then again, man was created with special re- 
ligious faculties, and these faculties should be so 
cultivated and developed, that he can worship his 
Creator with his heart, with his soul and with 
his mind. 

But closely allied to his mental, his moral and 
his religious faculties, man has been blessed with 
social faculties, and these faculties should be 
carefully looked after and tenderly nurtured. One 
of the reasons why the social faculties should be 
so carefully nurtured is due to the fact, that man 
is a social being, and should dwell to-gether in this 
world in peace and harmony. 

Lastly, another great reason that man's crea- 
tion has been classed as a specific creation is due to 
the fact, that the chief aim of man's life is not 
to eke out a poor miserable existence, to no speci- 
fied end and to no special purpose like the dumb 
brutes of the field, but it can be truthfully said, 
that man was created a specific being and endowed 
with special faculties, so that he might please God 
and to worship and to adore his Creator. 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, do acquiese in the statement above 
expressed, that man was a special act of creation, 
and was also created for a specific purpose. 

.(Signed) The JURY. 



THH TRUH PlilMITlVTt RHLIGION (;.\ 

CHAPTER V. / / / 
MAN BY CREATION A RATIONAL AND A 
RELIGIOUS BEING. 

That man was created a Rational and a Re- 
ligious Being is evident from the fact; that at the 
time of his creation he was endowed with such 
Rational and Religious Faculties, as to render him 
capable of entertaining Rational Thoughts, and of 
Worshiping the Creator of the Universe. Thus 
it has been said, that man was created in the 
''Image and the Likeness of his Creator." From 
this fact alone, it has been argued by Rational 
Theologians that man is constitutionally a Ration- 
al and a Religious Being, and is the only creature 
m creation that enjoys this distinction. 

The Rational Nature of man has reference to 
those intellectual faculties with which he has been 
endowed, and by which he can think and have rea- 
sonable thoughts of his Creator. Included aniens 
these intellectual faculties of man are said to be 
his mind, his perception, his memory, his will, 
his choice, his judgment, his reason, his conscious- 
ness, and the like. 

The Religious Nature of man has reference to 
those sublime and lofty faculties and feelings with 
which he has been endowed, and by which he c 
worship and adore his Creator. 

Included among the religious faculties of man 
ere said to be his feeling of reverence, adoration, 
respect, veneration, meekness, fear, his conscience, 



66 THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

hope, love, devotion, truth, honesty, obedience, and 
the like. 

But as it will be seen from our own personal 
experience, the intellectual and the religious fac- 
ulties are very closely allied, and are so inter- 
changeable in our intellectual and religious na- 
tures that man is said to worship God with his 
mind, his heart and his soul. 

Thus it is, that the intellectual, the moral, and 
the religious faculties with which man was en- 
dowed at the time of his creation, all of which he 
utilizes and exercises in the vocational and the 
leligious duties of his life, constitute man a Ra- 
tional and a Religious Being, for it is an axiom of 
human life, "That ali that man ought to do, ought 
be done to the honor and the glory of God." 

Then again, it is argued that the Rational and 
the Religious faculties of man were not the results 
of evolutionary developments, neither did they 
reach their highest attainments through a pro- 
cess of mental and moral training, but it is 
claimed, that these faculties were, in their entire- 
ty, co-equal and simultaneous with man's creation, 
and a part of his creation; and were in their 
fullest state of maturity and development; and 
that man at the moment of his creation, entered 
at once upon his Rational and Religious duties to 
his Creator. This was indeed said to be true of 
Adam, the first historic man of creation, for we 
are told, that immediately after his creation he 
was in close relationship and communion with 



THK TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 67 

his Creator in the Garden of Eden, and that he 
continued in that relationship with his Creator as 
long as he was in strict obedience to His laws and 
commands. 

Not only this, but it can be inferred that Adam, 
even after his acts of disobedience, and his ex- 
pulsion from the Garden of Eden, did not lose 
sight of his religious duties to his Creator, but it is 
supposed that he continued as a devout worshiper 
of his Creator all the days of his earthly career, 
and that he taught all of his immediate descen- 
dants to do the same. 

But this perfect intellectual, moral and religious 
state of the first man of creation has been great- 
ly questioned, and as greatly doubted by some anx- 
ious inquirers; and they are wont to ask this 
question, "If man had been created in such primi- 
tive intellectual, moral and religious perfection, 
why he is not in the same condition today, anri 
what are some of the evidences of his former intui- 
tive perfection?" 

In answer to this query, some sacred historians 
say, that this intuitive intellectual and religious 
condition of man, including his unadulterated wor- 
ship of the Supreme Being of the Universe, con- 
tinued with him until the period of the great Flood, 
which is said to have deluged the Earth. But 
after the Flood, and after the great confusion 
of tongues and the dispersion of man at the Tower 
of Babel, man began to wander away from God in 
the imagination of his heart, and also to lose sight 



68 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

of the true object of his intuitive intellectual, 
moral and religious faculties, and in the proc 
of time, he began to use these faculties to worship 
visible creatures instead of the invisible Creator. 

In answer to the query, as to some of the evi- 
dences of man's former intuitive, intellectual, mor- 
al and religious perfection, it can be said, that v 
is still in possession of these faculties, but they 
are in a somewhat dormant condition, and await- 
ing the period of their awakening and full devel- 
opment by their possessors. 

But why should the intellectual, the moral and 
the religious faculties of man lie in a dormant and 
a dwarf ted state, especially when they should be 
in their highest state of activity and in their ful- 
lest state of development? 

To this query it can be said, that it is evident 
that God did not endow man with these noble and 
sublime faculties to be allowed to remain in a dor- 
mant and useless condition but it is the duty of 
every man to endeavor to awaken and to develop 
these faculties, and to utilize them for the pur- 
pose of seeking after and of knowing God. Thus 
for the purpose of assisting man in these endeav- 
ors, schools for intellectual training and guidance 
have been erected, and churches for religious 
awakening and development have been established. 

Then again, every man owes it to himself and 
to his Creator to see to it, that his intellectual, 
his moral and his religious faculties are fully de- 
veloped along the lines for which they were given. 



THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION (J_9 

and no one should plead that the cares of world- 
ly business, the responsibility of drudgery labor, 
nor the absorbing interest of any other vocation 
of life has been a hindrance to him in engaging 
in this important duty. To know and to worship 
God is not a duty confined exclusively to the schol- 
ar and the theologian, but it is a duty that is in- 
Lerent upon every man, and no one can plead a 
justifiable excuse in neglecting to perform this all 
important requirement. Thus it is claimed, that 
"Man by creation is a Rational and a Religious 
Being," and that it is the paramount duty of every 
man to know and to Worship his Creator. 
Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, do acquiesce in the above state- 
ment, and we re-affrm the fact, that every man 
was created an intellectual and a religious being, 
and that he should seek to know God, and to wor- 
ship his Creator. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



7(1 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

CHAPTER IX. 

MAN'S PRIMARY RATIONAL IDEAS AND 

VIEWS OF THE SUPREME BEING 

A great many people of today, who have been 
trained from infancy to accept the Bible Idea of 
God, think that the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, as 
we now have them, is the only reliable source from 
which man can get Rational Thoughts and Views 
of the Supreme Being. But when these people 
are told, that man lived many hundreds of years 
before the Jewish Sacred Scriptures were writ- 
ten, and that many millions of people have had 
conceptions of a Supreme Being who have never 
heard of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, they won- 
der and greatly marvel, and ask, "Whence did 
these people get their Rational Ideas and Views of 
a Supreme Being?" Thus to give a reasonable an- 
swer to this important query, not only have emi- 
nent historians and philosophers labored incess- 
antly to this end, but it has also been the arduous 
task and the tedious work of many profound theo- 
logians. 

It is indeed an historical fact, recorded by all 
ancient and modern historians, that all nations, 
and all peoples have had some ideas of a Supreme 
Being, although some of their ideas of Him have 
been grossly absurd and ridiculous. 

But notwithstanding this historical fact, yet, 
there are many eminent theologians of today, in 
tneir rational and logical studies of the Supreme 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 7 ! 

Being, and His relationship to man, have assidu- 
ously endeavored to trace the source of man's 
primary rational Ideas and Views of the Supreme 
Being. Thus after much scientific research and 
indefatigable labor; and after much close mental 
application and deep study had been given to this 
subject, these theologians claim, that they have 
discovered the crystal stream which leads directly 
back to the spring, or to the primary source, of this 
much desired and coveted information. As an ar- 
gument to this effect, these theologians claim, that 
it is but reasonable to conclude that God has at 
some time or in some way revealed himself to man, 
and that this revelation has never been entirely 
blotted out from the mind of man. But the ques- 
tion is sometimes asked, "If God has revealed Him- 
self to man, and if this revelation has never been 
entirely blotted out from the mind of man, then 
why are there so many false views and conflicting 
ideas of the Existence of the Supreme Being so 
broadcast among the nations of the world? and 
how do we know, and what evidence have we, that 
our Ideas and Views of the Supreme Being are 
Rational and Logical? 

In answer to these very important questions, 
some students of rational theology are wont to 
say, That through the evolution of science and of 
natural philosophy on the one hand, and through 
the teachings of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures on 
the other hand, they have been enabled to trace 
successfully the pure stream, and the primary 
source of man's ideas and views of God back to the 



72 TIIK TRUR PRIMITIYK RKLIGION 

fountain head, and now they claim, that they are 
in a position to give a logical answer to all who 
may ask, "From whence did man get his Primary 
Rational Ideas and Views of a Supreme Being?" 

As an argument to this end, these theologians 
contend, that as there are so many different na- 
tions and peoples extant, who lay claim to the fact, 
that they are in possession of the primary and 
the rational Ideas and Views of the Supreme 
Being, each one of these nations should produce 
such reasonable proofs as to substantiate their 
claims ; and the nation or people that can produce 
the best logical proof, that they are in possession 
of true rational thoughts of the Supreme Being, 
that Nation will be entitled to this greatest and 
highest of all national honors. 

In summing up these requirements, these theo- 
logians tell us, that after a most laborious his- 
torical and scientific research, and after many 
years of careful and minute investigation of each 
and every claim presented by the various na- 
tions in defense of their contention, they are now 
in a position to render an impartial verdict as to 
which nation has produced the strongest and most 
logical proof of its claim, that it is in possession oi 
correct and rational thoughts of the Supreme 
Being. 

But before drawing their conclusions and ren- 
dering their verdict on this very important sub- 
ject, these theological Judges have seen fit to state 
the grounds on which they have based their de- 



THR TRUR PRIMITIVE RHLIG.ION 73 

cision as to the nation that is entitled to this 
distinguishing honor. 

Thus they say, they have based their decision 
on the following grounds : 

First, — The nation that can trace their rational 
thoughts of the Supreme Being back, to the first 
historic man of Creation. 

Second, — The Nation which continued to enter- 
tain rational thoughts of the Supreme Being, after 
the period of the Deluge. 

Third, — The nation that now entertains ration- 
al thoughts of the Supreme Being of the Universe. 

Thus, in compliance with these logical tests, and 
alter a careful and minute investigation of the 
claims as presented by the various nations of the 
world, these Theological Judges after due con- 
sideration and deliberation have unanimously de- 
cided, that the Jeivish Nation, and that nation 
alone, is the successful nation, and is indeed the 
only nation that has given any logical evidence 
c,nd rational proof of its ability to answer and 
to substantiate the above requirements. 

Thus these Judges claim, that in answer to the 
first requirement, The Jewish Nation has proven 
by their ancient writings, that their ancestors, 
many hundreds of years ago were in possession of 
rational thoughts of the Supreme Being, when the 
other nations of the earth were in a state of 
heathenism and gross idolatry. They also claim, 
that this nation has genealogical tables, and other 



74 THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

documentary evidences to prove that their ration- 
al Ideas and Views of the Supreme Being can be 
traced in a direct line back to Adam, the first 
recorded historic man of creation. 

Then again, they say that the Jewish Nation 
has proven by an unbroken line of Tradition, 
which has come down to them from the first his- 
toric man, Adam, that their forefathers have al- 
ways been in possession of a true knowledge of 
the Supreme Being. As an argument to this 
claim, the Jewish nation asserts, and this assertion 
cannot be successfully controverted, that Adam, 
the first historic man of creation, was created a 
perfect human being ; and as a perfect human 
being, he had a perfect human knowledge of his 
Creator; as it would have been inconsistent with 
the Infinite Wisdom of the Creator to have created 
an ignorant human being. 

But not only this, these Judges say, that Jewish 
Tradition has made it very plain, that Adam, at 
the time of his creation, was matured in all of 
his human faculties, especially his reasoning and 
his intuitive faculties. Thus the Jewish nation 
claims that Adam, at the time of his Creation, 
knew as much about the Supreme Being as man 
ever knew and can know. This reasoning and intui- 
tive knowledge of the Supreme Being, the Jewish 
nation claims was transmitted by Adam and his 
posterity from age to age, by means of tradition 
during a period of nearly 2500 years, or until the 
period when Moses, the great Jewish historian 



thk true primitive religion 75 

put this traditional knowledge of the Supreme 
Being into writing. 

As to the second requirement these Judges say, 
that the Jewish nation claims, that their Ideas 
and Views of the Supreme Being are strictly or- 
thodox, and that they are the same Ideas and 
Views that the Antediluvians held of the Supreme 
Being many hundreds of years before Man's re- 
ligious Ideas and Views became contaminated with 
strange and pagan ideas and views of His Exis- 
tence. This claim, these Judges also contend is 
backed up by historical and philological data, and 
is in complete accord with all Jewish traditional 
knowledge that has come down the ages from the 
earliest existence of man. By way of explanation, 
in accounting for the retention of their rational 
Ideas and Views of the Supreme Being, while the 
other nations of the earth were groping after 
strange and pagan gods, the Jewish Elders make 
the following statement : They say, That the whole 
human race of mankind was one family until the 
Deluge of the Great Flood. But after the Flood, 
and when the Tower of Babel was begun God made 
a confusion of tongues, or speech, which resulted 
in the separation of the human family, and which 
divided them into various tongues and nations. 
After this separation of tongues and this disper- 
sion into separate countries, which were then 
considered very remote, on the account of the 
poor facilities for traveling, many of these nations 
were entirelv cut off from communicating with 



76 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

each other, and thereby lost, to a great extent, 
their traditional Ideas and Views of the Supremo 
Being that had come down to them through the 
ages, and in their spiritual blindness they turned 
to the worship of the creature instead of the Crea- 
tor. But in order to preserve a knowledge of the 
living and the true God, they tell us, That God 
selected and set apart a man who was of Ur of 
Chaldea, by the name of Abraham. And God made 
a Covenant with Abraham, and told him, That 
through his posterity or nation, a true knowledge 
of the Supreme Being should be maintained, and 
kept extant in the world, and through all ages to 
come. Thus the Jewish nation claims, That Abra- 
ham became the founder and the father of the Jew- 
ish nation, which indeed historically accounts for 
the retention of the Rational Ideas and Views of 
the Supreme Being of the Universe which have 
been held, and are held today, by that nation and 
that this covenant has never been abrogated nor 
given to another nation. 

As to the third requirement, these Judges say : , 
That it has been fully demonstrated, that the 
original Jewish Sacred Scriptures, and these 
Scriptures alone, contain rational thoughts con- 
cerning the living and the true God, but they also 
contain the rational thoughts of the Supreme 
Being as held and expressed by the Jewish nation 
of today. Thus these Judges make bold to say, 
that the Jewish nation in comparison with other 
nations, is the only nation that is now extant 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 7/ 

who holds pure rational thoughts concerning the 
Supreme Being of the universe, and that all of the 
ether nations of the world are either polytheistic 
or tri-theistic in their ideas and views as to the 
Existence of the Supreme Being, or are grossly 
irrational and superstitious as to His Character. 
Therefore, in conformity to these undisputed and 
unref uted facts as rendered by the Jewish nation 
in defense of their rational Ideas and Views of 
the Supreme Being, the Judges have seen fit to ren- 
der the following verdict : 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, do acquiesce in the conclusion of 
this chapter ; and are of the opinion that man re- 
ceived his primary Idea of the Supreme Being at 
the time of his creation, by means of his intuitive 
faculties, and that man has never entirely lost his 
primary impressions of the Supreme Being. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



78 THK TRUR PRIMITIYK RKLTGION 

CHAPTER X. 
THE PRIMARY STATE AND CONDITION OF 

MAN 

It will be observed in this chapter, that it is not 
only the province of rational theologians to dis- 
cuss, in a logical and systematic way, those ra- 
tional thoughts that man has gleaned concern- 
ing the living and the true God, as to His Existence 
and His character, but it is also their duty to 
consider those rational thoughts that relate to man 
himself, to his own nature, and to his moral and 
his religious obligations to his Creator. 

It will be noted by the tradition of the Jewish 
Elders, and as recorded by Moses, that man was 
created on the sixth Day, or period of creation; 
and this act is said to have been the crowning 
work of all Divine Acts ; from the fact, that man 
was created in the image of his Creator. Thus the 
Elders of Israel told Moses that in the creation 
of man, God c^id, "Let us make man in our image, 
and after our likeness. So God created man in 
his own image, in the image of Qod created He 
him, male and female created He them." 

But it will be noted again, that when the Elders 
of Israel first related to Moses the traditional ac- 
count of the creation of man, they did not relate 
to him in full, all the details, as to the matter and 
the manner of his creation ; so a little later on 
in their talk to Moses on this subject, they said, 
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the 



THH TRUn PiUjVTTTIVH RKLIGION 7'j 

ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath 
of life; and man became a living soul. And the 
Lord said, It is not good for man to be alone ; I will 
make an help-meet for him. And the Lord caused 
a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept ; and 
He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh 
instead thereof; and the rib, which the Lord God 
had taken from man, made He a woman and 
brought her unto the man." Thus it will be seen 
from this traditional narrative of the creation of 
man, that he does not only enjoy a distinction far 
?bove ail other creatures of God's creation; for 
man was created in the image and the likeness of 
God, his Maker, but he was God's representative 
upon earth, and was given dominion over all 
creatures of God's creation. 

But it will be noticed more particularly, that the 
Elders of Israel told Moses that when God formed 
man out of the dust of the ground, God breathed 
into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became 
a living soul. From this it can be seen, that the 
body and the soul of man were not made of the 
same material or substance ; the body was formed 
out of the dust of the ground, while the soul came 
into existence by the breath of God. 

From this it can also be seen that man is a 
compound being, composed- of matter and spirit; 
the one from the dust of the ground, and the other 
from the breath of God. Thus the wise man tells 
us that at death* "Then shall the dust return again 
to the earth as it was : and the spirit shall return 
again unto the God who gave it." 



80 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

The phrase, "Dust of the ground," out of which 
the body of man is said to have been formed, is 
not thought to be the dust that is ground to pow- 
der under the feet of men, and is blown about in 

r 

space by the wind, but it is supposed to be com- 
posed of various chemical elements or gases. That 
this is so, physiologists in their chemical analysis 
of the human body have found that the body of 
man is composed of fifteen or more chemical ele- 
ments; the most prominent of which are as fol- 
lows : Oxygen, Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Sul- 
phur, Phosphorus, Calcium, Fluorine, Manganese, 
Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Chlorine, Silicon 
and Iron. Thus we are told, that these chemical 
elements, variously combined, constitute the blood 
and the flesh of man's body ; also the bones, hair, 
teeth, tissues and all of the other parts of the 
human body which have been so wonderfully ar- 
ranged by the great Creator and Architect of the 
Universe. 

But not only this, the Elders of Israel told Moses 
that after God had formed man of the dust of the 
ground, He then breathed into his nostrils the 
breath of life, and man became a living soul. 

But it will be noted, that the term "soul" as used 
by the Elders of Israel, is very significant, fcr 
while the other creatures that God had made 
became living Beings, man alone is said to have 
become a living Soul. 

But not only this, Psychologists in their dif- 
ferentiation between the soul and the body say, 



THR TRUr? PRIMITIVE RELIGION 81 

the soul of man is entirely unlike that of his 
body; for while his body is material, and is com- 
posed of various chemical elements, his soul is 
immaterial and spiritual and is composed of a sin- 
gle substance which is absolutely unknown to 
science. In their definition of the soul, Psycholo- 
gists are limited to its manifestations, and say, 
the soul is that immortal, immaterial, vital, active, 
uncompounded and spiritual part of man, where- 
by he perceives, remembers, reasons, feels, thinks 
and wills, etc. But at this juncture the theologian 
comes in and says, the soul is also that part of 
man with which he communicates with God, and 
by which he comes under moral and religious obli- 
gations to the Supreme Being. Thus it can be in- 
ferred, that when God created man, He made him 
a perfect rational being ; his faculty of perception 
must have been acute ; his memory must have been 
letentive; his reasoning powers must have been 
sound; his judgment must have been correct; 
his understanding must have been clear ; his incli- 
nations must have been pure ; his aspirations must 
have been lofty; his conscience must have been 
void of offence ; his will must have been firm ; his 
affections must have been set on things above ; and 
his whole heart must have been a human temple 
for the indwelling of the Invisible One. This 
then, must have been the perfect physical being, 
whose body God formed out of the dust of the 
earth; and this must have been the perfect psy- 
chological being whom God breathed the breath 



62 THE TRUH PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

of life into his nostrils, and who became a living- 
soul. 

Thus in speaking of the glory and the grandeur 
of this perfect being, some one has said: "That 
although man was the last of all of God's creation, 
yet, he is considered the chief and the master- 
piece of all of God's handiworks." 

Then again in his perfect state, man has been 
considered the compendium of creation, and is 
sometimes called "A Microcosm," or a little world, 
or a world in miniature ; because man has some- 
thing of the vegetable, the animal and the rational 
kingdoms to meet in him. He is spirit and matter i 
yea, heaven and earth centre in him ; and he is the 
bond that connects them together. Not only this, 
man is said to have been made erect, in order to 
distinguish him from the four footed animals who 
look downward to the earth ; but man was made to 
look upward to the heavens, to contemplate them, 
to behold the priory of God as displayed in them, 
?nd to worship and to adore Him who created 
them. 

But while it is indeed true, that God created and 
made man a perfect physiological and a perfect 
psychological being, yet, at the same time, God 
made man a perfect moral and religious being. 
That man was created a perfect religious being is 
noted from the fact, that man was endowed at the 
time of his creation with specific faculties by 



THK TRUI5 PKIMITIVK RKLIGION 83 

which he can respect, appreciate and worship his 
Maker and Creator. 

Some of these specific faculties with which man 
has been endowed, are said to be as follows : Ado- 
ration ; Reverence ; Fear ; Respect ; Devotion ; Ven- 
eration; Love and Obedience. In the way of de- 
fining these faculties with which man was created, 
theologians say, that the faculty of Adoration, is 
that feeling of esteem that man has for the Divine 
Being which causes him in his religious worship 
to bow his head ; to bend his knees, and to prostrate 
himself upon his face, when in the august presence 
of the Creator of the Universe. The faculty of 
Veneration they define as being that feeling of 
respect mingled with awe, which man has for 
God, on the account of His divine superiority and 
majesty; which feeling they say, is mostly ex- 
cited when he enters into a sanctuary that has 
been consecrated to the glory and the worship of 
Almighty God. They also say, that the faculty 
of Fear, is that holy disposition of the soul where- 
by man is inclined to observe all of God's com- 
mands. The faculty of Respect in man's religion.; 
feelings they claim, is summed up in the following 
command, "Thou shalt have no other gods before 
me." The faculty of Devotion is exhibited by that 
feeling in man by which he is inclined to conse- 
crate his all to the glory of God. The faculty of 
Love is said to be that divine principle planter' 
within the heart of man, by which he reveres and 
esteems the Divine Being ; and the faculty of Obe- 



84 tith: true primitive religion 

dience is that part of man's spiritual nature by 
which he keeps and performs all of those obliga- 
tions that God requires of him. 

Thus, man in his primitive state was a perfect 
human being, and without an evil tendency in 
either his body or his soul. The eyes of his under- 
standing were flooded with heavenly light; his 
Will was holy, and he chose to do the right ; and 
his affections were righteous and extremely pleas- 
ing in God's sight. Man being in this state he was 
necessarily in a condition of happiness, and was 
the most exalted being of earth, and the favorite 
of heaven. 

But notwithstanding the fact, that God made 
man such an exalted being, and gave him universal 
dominion over all things that He had made, yet, 
God placed man under a law, and demanded of 
him strict obedience to this law ; for the Elders of 
Israel told Mc?es that God put man in the garden 
of Eden to dress it and keep it ; and God said unto 
the man, ''Of every tree of the garden thou mayest 
freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of 
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of.it; for in the 
day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." 

Verdict of the Jury 

We, the Jury of rational thoughts concerning 
the living and the true God, do fully attest and 
vouch for all that has been said as to man's 
primitive state of perfection and happiness, and 



THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 8? 

also his close relationship to the Supreme Being 
of the Universe. All of which we claim is either 
intimated, or plainly taught in the Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



86 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

CHAPTER XL 
THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

Although it has been fully established in some 
previous chapters, that Adam, the first man of 
creation, was created in every sense a religious 
being, yet, the query has been made as to the na- 
ture of this Primary Religion; if man is still in 
possession of it, and in what way can it be demon- 
strated ? 

In answer to this timely and very important 
query, it can be said, that it is indeed both ration- 
al and logical to conclude that the Religion with 
which man was created constitutes the Primary 
or the True Religion; and of necessity, this re- 
ligion was of divine origin. That this is so is seen 
from the fact, that the Primary Religion was in- 
stituted specifically and exclusively for man ; and 
that man was endowed with specific faculties for 
the purpose of utilizing and demonstrating this 
Religion. 

The specific object for which man was endowed 
with religious faculties was for the purpose of 
worshiping the Creator of the Universe, and these 
sacred faculties should not be prostituted and 
utilized for the worship of any other being. 

Then again it has been shown, that the Primary 
Religion of man is strictly an internal religion, an 
innate principle of the heart and an active de- 
velopment of the soul. As a further argument along 
this line it can be said, that it is just as rational 



THE TRITE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 8/ 

to conclude that man, primarily, was created a 
religious being because of his religious faculties, 
as to conclude that he was created an intellectual 
being because of his intellectual faculties; and 
as there is no period in a man's earthly career 
when it can be said that a man is not an intellect- 
ual being, neither is there a period in his career 
when it can be said that he is not a religious being. 
From this it can be seen, that the nature of 
Primary Religion of man is interwoven into the 
very warp and woof of man's being, and is an 
essential part of his existence; and it can be 
truthfully said, that man is now in the full posses- 
sion of those primary religious faculties with 
which the first man of creation was endowed. 

As to the query that has been made, as to 
how this Primary Religion can be manifested and 
demonstrated oh the part of man, the answer can 
be made, that it can be manifested and demonstra- 
ted on the part of man in every phase of his lif^ 
both intellectual and spiritual. 

That this is so, it has been shown that man's re- 
ligious faculties constitute a part of his being, and 
are so interwoven into his existence that he cannot 
live separate and apart from them, but they are 
manifested in his every word, in his every act and 
in his every thought. Thus it can be said, that the 
nature of Primary Religion is manifested and 
demonstrated in man's righteous deeds, and has no 
connection whatever with Sectarian Dogmas and 
Denominational Creeds. 



#8 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

But in the further consideration of this very 
important subject, another query has been made, 
and that is, If man is by nature a religious being, 
and if his religious principles are manifested by 
righteous deeds, then why does he undergo, at 
times, such terrible religious fears and dreaded 
apprehensions ? As an answer to this query it can 
be said, that when the religious faculties of man 
are properly trained and rightly exercised, there 
will be no disturbing religious fears, neither will 
there be any terrible foreboding apprehensions. As 
an evidence of this expression, it is said that man 
is in his native element when he is exercising the 
leligious faculties with which he has been en- 
dowed ; for in so doing, he has the approval of his 
conscience, and is in possession of that peace and 
contentment of mind and heart which are the 
direct results of righteous deeds. Thus the True 
Primary Religion inculcates and excites in those 
who cultivate, its, principles, the religious feeling 
of love to Goc!, reverence, adoration, honesty, obe- 
dience, respect, justice, benevolence, sympathy, 
generosity, kindness, brotherly affection and the 
like, arid when these principles are religiously 
exercised there will be no dreaded fears and no 
foreboding apprehensions. 

But on the contrary, all pagan religions are 
based upon the superstitious fears and the nervous 
apprehensions of their gods. Thus all along the 
ages, so-called religious pagan priests and power- 
ful pagan potentates have kept their religious de- 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 89 

t otees in line by constantly appealing to their su- 
perstitious fears and feelings; and because of 
these wicked and sinister methods used by these 
pagan priests and potentates, the devotees of all 
pagan religions have been compelled to pay hom- 
age and to do reverence to false gods, and to 
tremblingly and crouchingly obey their every 
command. 

But some anxious inquirer might ask another 
important question by saying, What is the differ- 
ence between Religion and Theology? or, Is not ovir 
religion the compendium of our theological ideas 
and views ? 

At the risk of repetition, these questions can be 
answered by saying, that the True Religion is that 
inner part of man's conscious nature which brings 
him under- moral obligations to his Creator, and 
which excites within him a feeling of divine rever- 
ence and respect for the Supreme Being of the 
Universe. Theology is in no way a part of man':, 
leligious nature, but it simply denotes those spec- 
ulative ideas and views which some men have 
formed and entertained respecting the Creator, 
His Nature, His Character and His relation to 
man, and the like. As there are so many devotees 
of religion who seem to be unable to make a dis- 
tinction or to differentiate between religion and 
theology, it is very necessary that this distinction 
should be made very plain and explicit. 

In the way of an illustration, it has been said, 
that a person's character is what a person really 



*»0 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

is as to his moral life; but a person's reputation 
is what people generally think of him. So it is 
with religion and theology. A man's religious 
.ire is an essential part of his creation, which 
constitutes him a religious being; but a man's 
theological views constitute no part of his relig- 
ious nature, but are simply the speculative ideas 
and views which he entertains concerning God and 
leligious subjects. 

From this it can be seen, that True Religion is 
subjective and internal, and is of divine origin ; 
being interwoven into man's spiritual nature at 
the time of his creation ; while theology is : 
jective and external, and denotes those speculative 
ideas and views which man entertains concerning 
either the True God or the false gods which he 
worships, but does not constitute a part of 
religious nature. 

That there is but one True Religion is evident 
from the fact, that the Supreme Being of the 
Universe is the Author of it ; and at the time : 
Man's creation, his Creator endowed him with 
such religious faculties by which he could conform 
to all religious requirements. 

From this it can also be seen, that all men have 
been created with the same religious faculties by 
which they can worship their Creator ; and all men 
are alike responsible to God, their Creator, for the 
faithful performance of this their religious duty. 
It is indeed evident, that no man can claim ex- 
emption and justification from his religious duties. 



THR TRUR PRIMTTIVR RRLIGION <)1 

from the fact, that he has different and divergent 
theological ideas and views from those inculcated 
by his religious faculties, for these faculties have 
the precedence over all other teachings, and all 
other ideas and views of God and of religion, and 
should be subordinated to man's true religious 
faculties. Thus the conclusion of the whole matter 
is, that no man can make another man a religious 
being by imposing upon him his peculiar theologi- 
cal dogmas and denominational tenets, for man by 
creation and by nature is a religious being, and is 
responsible to God alone for his religious duties. 
Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, do heartily acquiesce in the sen- 
timent expressed in this chapter, and hold that 
man by creation is a religious being, and that his 
j.eligious life in this world is manifested by relig- 
ious deeds, and not by denominational creeds. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



( >2 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

CHAPTER X-L 

THE "ESPERANTO" RELIGION; OR THE 
UNIVERSAL RELIGION OF MANKIND 

The term "Esperanto," in its generic sense, is 
said to mean "The Hopeful." But this term has 
been used by philologists, and more especially by 
Dr. Zamenhoof in an accommodative sense, and 
made to apply to the universal language which he 
is endeavoring to invent. 

It is said, that eminent philologists have traced 
the various human dialects and languages which 
have been spoken in the world back to their origin, 
and have shown that all of them sprang from a 
common stock. 

It is also said, that before the great Flood, which 
is supposed to have deluged the earth, there was 
but one language spoken by man, and that all who 
lived prior to the Flood, spoke the same tongue ; 
and that this universal tongue continued to be 
spoken by man until the confusion of tongues, and 
the dispersion of man at the Tower of Babel, which 
is said to have taken place after the deluge of th : 
g *eat flood. 

Thus it is said, that Dr. Zamenhoof in connec- 
tion with other philtlogists are endeavoring to 
revive, or to reconstruct again a universal lan- 
guage, and to make it so plain and so easily 
understood that, all the nations of the earth can 
readily speak and understand it. 



THK TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 93 

This reconstructed or universal language -has 
been termed by Dr. Zamenhoof "Esperanto," or 
the universal language of mankind. 

In like manner it is said, that rational theolo- 
gians have traced the various Sects and Relig- 
ions, that are now extant, back to their original 
or common source, or to the period when there was 
but one religion, and when all mankind acknowl- 
edged and worshiped the Supreme Being of the 
Universe, as the only Living and the True God, 
snd also as the Creator of all things. But as 
strange as it may seem, yet, it is said, that the 
language of man and his religion, under all of their 
varied changes and alterations, have remained to- 
gether and have traveled side by side, that until 
today, the language that one nation speaks is al- 
most a true index of the religion it professes. 

That there was a period in the history of mar 
when there was but one religion, and that all 
mankind worshiped the Supreme Being of the 
Universe, and the Creator of the heaven and the 
earth, is evident from the fact, that God created 
man with perfect religious faculties, and before 
these religious faculties became blunted and 
blurred, man knew God to human perfection, and 
worshiped Him as his Creator. 

But as has been said in a previous chapter, al- 
though the first man of creation did disobey the 
direct command of God, and thereby incurred the 
displeasure of his Creator, yet, he continued to 
worship the Creator, in whose image and Likeness 



94 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

he had been created, and that he also taught his 
immediate descendants to do the same. Thus 
we are informed, that this unadulterated worship 
of the Living and the True God continued with 
man until the period of the great Flood, and until 
the confusion of tongues and the dispersion of man 
into the various countries of the world. 

Thus we are told, that after the confusion of 
man's tongue, and his dispersion into various 
parts of the world, he began to neglect the 
cultivation of his religious faculties, and in the 
process of time his heart became so far estranged 
from God in all of his thoughts, that be began to 
worship the creature instead of the Creator. But 
we are informed by the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, 
that when this idolatrous worship of the creature 
had almost become universal on the part of man, 
and wickedness had become prevalent in all the 
land, God is said to have called a certain man, by 
the name of Abraham, who was of UR of Chaldea, 
and made a covenant with him, stipulating that 
he should be the founder of a great nation which 
should be separate and distinct from all other 
nations of the world, in that, it should keep within 
its confines a knowledge of the Living and the True 
God, and which should engage in the unadulterated 
worship of the Supreme Being, the Creator of the 
heaven and the earth. 

From this it can be seen, that as Abraham 
became the head and the founder of the Jewish 
nation, he also became the earthly head and the 



THR TRUR PRIMITIVR RRRIGION 95 

founder of .the True Religion; or in other words, 
he revived among men the original religion which 
obtained among the antediluvians, which religion 
was a principle of the heart, and a development of 
the soul. Thus the true religion is an "Esperanto" 
religion, for it is the religion of nature, and there- 
by, a creation of God ; and in the process of time, 
it will be the accepted religion of all mankind. 

But without going into the history of the various 
sects and religions that are now extant in the 
world, and without narrating the bloody persecu- 
tions which their votaries have indulged in, and the 
terrible malevolent feeling which they have engen- 
dered, because of man's divergent ideas and views 
of the Existence and the character of his Creator, 
we shall only relate a few of the great religious 
benefits that will accrue to all men, w T hen the true 
religion shall become "Esperanto," or when the 
worship of the Living and the True God should 
become universal. 

It is evident in the first place, that when the 
true religion becomes "Esperanto," or universal 
as to man, then the whole world will, religiously, 
come into its own, and man, everywhere, will 
acknowledge and worship the Living and the True 
God. Then again, all sects and false religions will 
be done away with, and man will seek to know, 
to please and to honor the Creator instead of the 
creature. Not only this, but all denominational 
strifes and sectarian bickerings will cease, and 
no man will think that he is doing God's service 



96 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

by murdering his fellow man, because he differs 
with him in his religious creed. But above all, 
all mankind will know that he was created a 
religious being, and that the true religion is made 
manifest by the cultivation of the heart and the 
development of the soul. 

But it has been asked, If the religion as promul- 
gated by the Jewish Nation is the True Religion, 
and is destined to become the "Esperanto" religion 
of mankind, Then by what means and methods can 
this be done, and the pagan nations of the world 
come into the possession of this great spiritual 
boon? 

In answering this most important inquiry in 
the affirmative, it can be also said, that all men, 
both priest and people, should be taught that the 
True Religion abides in the heart of each and 
every man, and its principles are made manifest 
by the religion; culture of the soul. It is indeed 
evident, that all pagan creeds are specific doctri- 
nal codifications of divinity schools and designing 
men, and these creeds are now nearly broadcast 
in all the land; yet, the signs of the times are, 
that all who are in pagan darkness will, in the 
near future, have a vision of the True Religion, 
and will arise and shine for the true light will have 
arisen upon them. Then will the hearts of men 
become the Religious Temple of the most High, 
and the True Worship of the Lord God will be 
engaged therein. 

Finally, when the True Religion becomes **Es- 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 9 1 

peranto" in the world, it will be a period of true 
religious knowledge: "And they shall teach no 
more every man his neighbor, and every man his 
brother, saying, Know the Lord : for they shall all 
know Him, from the least of them unto the 
greatest of them." Jer. 31 :34. 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, look forward to the period when 
there will be no sectarian creeds, but an "Esperan- 
to" of religious 'worship and of religious deeds. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



9* THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

CHAPTER Kill. 
THE DISOBEDIENCE OF MAN 

It will be noticed in a previous chapter, that 
man, while in his primitive state of perfection, 
was also in a superlative degree of happiness ; and 
in company with the woman that God had given 
him, he was in a state of connubial bliss. It will 
also be noticed, that it was generally admitted that 
in man's primitive state of perfection, was in- 
cluded his physical, his intellectual his moral and 
his religious perfections; and that God was well 
pleased with the man which he had made upon 
the earth. 

But notwithstanding the fact, that God had 
made man a perfect rational and religious being, 
yet, Moses tells us that God gave him a command, 
and said, "Of every tree of the garden thou ma vest 
freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of 
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it : for the day 
that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." 
This command, as can be seen, although allegori- 
cally stated was very explicit; and its observance 
on the part of man was of easy compliance. But as 
the sequel shows, and as recorded by Moses in the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures, Adam by the neglect 
and non-observance of this divine command, 
brought upon himself the greatest catastrophe 
that has ever happened to man. But we will 



THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RBWGVON < [) 

allow the Elders of Israel to relate this terrible al- 
legorical incident, of the Fall of man, in their 
own words. Thus we are told, that the Elders of 
Israel, when in camp in the wilderness, in relating 
to Moses this sad incident which befell man in the 
garden of Eden, spoke as follows : "Now the ser- 
pent was more subtil than any beast of the field 
which the Lord God had made. And he said 
unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not 
eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman 
said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of 
the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the 
tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath 
said, Ye shall not eat 'of it, neither shall ye touch 
it, lest ye die. And the serpent said upon the 
woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth 
know that in the day ye eat thereof, then shall 
your eyes be opened, and ye shall be as gods, 
knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw 
that the tree was good for food, and that it was 
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to 
make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, 
and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with 
her ; and he did eat." 

Thus the Elders of Israel told Moses, that be- 
cause of this disobedience to the command of God, 
en the part of the man and the woman, in eating 
the forbidden fruit, God was greatly displeased 
wuth their actions, and He pronounced upon them 
the sentence of death, and also drove them out 
of the garden of Eden. 

This is the simple traditional story of the dis- 



100 THg TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

obedience of man, as related to Moses by the 
Elders of Israel, when they were in Camp in the 
Wilderness, and which was recorded by Moses in 
the Jewish Sacred Scriptures. But while it is true, 
that this narrative of the disobedience of man 
has been considered by some biblical students as 
being absurdly untenable, and as being simply an 
allegory or a parable by others, yet, the Jewish 
nation has ever held this narrative as being 
strictly illustrative and figurative, though not a 
literal statement of the origin of sin in man, and 
the downfall of him who was the first historic 
human being of creation. 

The doctrine of the Fall of man, as held by 
most theologians of today, is said to be as follows : 
That Adam, the first historic man of creation, was 
the direct creation of God, and at the time of his 
creation his physical, his intellectual, his moral 
and his religious faculties were in a high state 
of maturity, and he was as intelligent and as good 
as any man could possibly be. As an evidence of 
this fact, they claim, that man was created in the 
image and the likeness of his creator, and must 
have been an all-round perfect human being. In 
this perfect state, he was the Federal or Moral 
head of his posterity, and if he had remained 
righteous, all of his posterity would have remained 
righteous also ; but as he fell, all of his posterity 
fell with him. 

But, as to the Federal and Moral headship of 
Adam, which involved the innocency and the cul- 



TilH TRUK P-KIMIT-IVI* RKIJGION 1()1 

pability of all of his posterity, the Jewish nation of 
today do not admit ; and their commentators all 
declare, that there is nothing in the Mosaic teach- 
ings, that warrants such an interpretation; and 
that Adam was in no sense responsible, either di- 
rectly or indirectly, for the wickedness of his pos- 
terity. In the way of an explanation for the wick- 
edness of Adam's posterity, the Jewish nation 
makes the claim, that every man that is born in 
the world is a free moral agent, and is responsible 
to God for his own moral actions, and that God is 
not displeased with one man, because another man, 
of his own volition, breaks his commandments. 

As to the doctrines of the universal Fall of 
man, and the total depravity of his nature conse- 
quent on the Fall, the Jewish Commentators say 
their Sacred Scriptures make no reference what- 
ever, and neither do they make reference to the 
doctrine of human atonement. These doctrines 
they say are strictly pagan doctrines, and are of 
pagan origin. 

Thus, in summing up the whole matter, the 
Jewish nation holds, That God created man, a free 
moral agent ; and that the exercise of this agency 
was not dependent upon the moral actions of the 
first man of creation ; and that if it had been thus 
dependent, the posterity of Adam would be the 
creatures of intervening circumstances ; and in 
such a state, no man would be directly responsible 
to God for his moral conduct; for the actions of 
Adam would have wielded and controlled the des- 
tiny of all of his posterity. 



102 THK TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury of Rational Thoughts concerning 
the Living and the True God, and the True Relig- 
ion do aver that according to the Mosaic record 
of the creation of man, the first man of creation 
did not in any way wield the destiny of his pos- 
terity as to evil, but every man is held directly 
responsible to God for his moral and his religious 
actions. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



THK TRUE PRIMITIVE R'ELIGION 103 

CHAPTER XIV. 
THE EFFECT OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF 

MAN 

In relating the traditional story of the disobe- 
dience of man to the command of God, the Elders 
of Israel said to Moses, that God said unto Adam, 
"Because thou hast harkened unto the voice of 
thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I 
commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it : 
cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt 
thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns 
and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou 
shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of 
thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to 
the ground ; for out of it wast thou taken ; for dust 
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." 

But unto the woman, God said, "I will greatly 
multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sor- 
row thou shalt bring forth children ; and thy desire 
shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over 
thee." 

But notwithstanding the plainness and the di- 
rectness of this sentence because of sin, yet, there 
are some theologians, even in this day, who cavil 
over the nature and the extent of this sentence. 
Some learned theologians argue, that this sentence 
of death which was pronounced upon the man, had 
reference simply to a physical dissolution of the 
body ; from the fact, that God said, in pronouncing 



104 THK TKU.H PKISiniYK KKJJGION 

the sentence of death upon him, "For dust thou 
art, and unto dust shalt thou return." But there 
are other theologians who argue, that this sen- 
tence included also, man's spiritual death, or the 
severence of his soul from. God ; for they say, that 
God broke off all spiritual communications with 
Adam, and drove him out of the garden of Eden. 
Then again, there are some other theologians who 
argue, that this sentence of death which was 
passed upon the man, affected the woman* also ; 
and not only did it affect both of them, but it 
affected also all of their posterity ; for they claim, 
"In Adam, all of his posterity sinned ;" and in the 
sentence that was pronounced upon him, all of his 
posterity are included in the penalty of his dis- 
obedience. 

Then again, it has been argued by some theolo- 
gians, that this sentence of death, which was pro- 
nounced upon man because of his disobedience, 
was grossly unjust to him; from the fact, that he 
was unduly influenced by the woman who had been 
given to him; and that he was a creature of cir- 
cumstances over which he had no absolute control. 

But there are other theologians who argue, that 
as man fell into disobedience, it shows, that not- 
withstanding his original perfections, he was also 
a fallible being, and was therefore liable to err. 

Further, some of these theologians argue, that 
the disobedience of man being without a -sinister 
motive, his punishment, was far too severe for 
the sin of curiosity which he had committed. 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 105 

But in answer to all of these arguments and 
criticisms, it has been stated, that man was created 
a perfect intellectual, moral and religious being, 
and with these faculties in their highest state of 
maturity, he was well aware of the consequences 
that would befall him if he disobeyed the specific 
command of his Creator ; for if man had been ig- 
norant of the consequences of his disobedience, he 
would not have been a perfect intellectual and 
moral being, and could have pleaded extenuating 
circumstances on the account of his ignorance. 

But this was not the case, for even in this day, 
when human faculties are said to be almost totally 
depraved, yet, all men have some knowledge of the 
terrible consequences, that will befall them, if they 
wilfully. disobey the direct command of God, or of 
the gods. 

But as to man being a creature of circumstances 
over which he had no absolute control, and that he 
was also created a fallible being, and endowed 
with faculties that were liable to err, is a state- 
ment that is not in accordance with facts, and is 
far from the truth. In confirmation of this state- 
ment, it must be remembered that God did not 
create man a stick or a stone, but he created him 
a perfect human being, and endowed him with 
such perfect intellectual faculties with which he 
could readily discern and understand the nature of 
all of his acts, and the blessings that would follow 
the performance of the one, and the terrible conse- 
quences that would follow the performance of the 
other. 



106 tuh: TKUK'puMirivK kri.igiov 

Then again, it must be remembered, that man 
was created a "Tree Moral Agent, and endowed 
with a perfect Will" with which he could choose 
all of his moral actions. Thus, it is this Free Moral 
Agency of man that makes him personally respon- 
sible for all of his moral acts; and which brings 
him under obligations to God, for the strict obe- 
dience of all of His commands. 

It was because of this Free Moral Agency of 
man, that God gave him a specific command to 
guide him in the choice of his actions and con- 
duct ; for God said to Adam, "Of every tree of the 
garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree 
of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not 
eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof 
thou shalt surely die." From this it can be seen, 
that as God was the creator of man, and had en- 
dowed him with perfect human faculties, and had 
made him a Free Moral Agent, God had a right to 
put such restrictions upon the actions of man as 
He saw fit ; and then to prescribe such punishment 
as He deemed necessary for the violation of such 
restrictions. 

But it must be noted, that rational thoughts 
concerning the living and the true God, and His 
dealings with man, as recorded in the Jewish 
Sacred Scriptures, are based upon the tradition of 
the Elders of Israel, and not upon the cavil and the 
speculations of theologians. As to the effect, that 
the disobedience of the first man of creation had 
upon himself and his posterity, the Jewish com- 



THH TKUE PRIMITIVE RKLIGION li 7 

mentators on their Sacred Scriptures have been 
very explicit ; for they claim, that the disobedience 
of the first man and woman of creation was a per- 
sonal act, and that their condemnation and punish- 
ment was also a personal condemnation and pun- 
ishment, and that the consequences of their actions 
had no direct nor indirect effect or influence upon 
their posterity. 

Thus, as an argument to this end, they claim 
that the man and the woman were a direct crea- 
tion of God ; and at the time of their creation, all 
of their faculties were in a high state of develop- 
ment and maturity, and that there were no exten- 
uating circumstances which they could plead as 
condonement for their actions. 

Not only this, but these Jewish commentators 
on their Sacred Scriptures contend, that God holds 
every man personally to a strict account for his 
own sins, and that no man is amenable to God 
for the short-comings of another. But not only 
this, these commentators say, that there is no 
traditional reference in their Sacred Scriptures, 
and not a remote traditional inference, that the 
consequences of the disobedience of Adam, and 
his wife, Eve, fell upon their posterity; but they 
do assert, that their Sacred Scriptures plainly 
teach, that every man is held personally responsi- 
ble to his Creator for a strict obedience to His 
Commands. 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury of rational thoughts concerning 



108 "THE TKUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

the Living and the True God, acquiesce in the 
Jewish idea, as to the effect of the disobedience 
of man. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 109 

CHAPTER XV. 

THE SERPENT AND THE SEED OF THE 

WOMAN 

The subject which is under consideration in this 
chapter, taken in its literal sense, is one of the 
most peculiar, if not one of the most intricate 
subjects that has been suggested and considered in 
the Jewish Sacred Scriptures. It is peculiar in 
that, it treats of the supposed origin of sin ; and it 
is intricate in that, it ascribes the supposed origin 
of sin to a reptile, and then clothes this reptile 
with reasoning powers; which power is used to 
deceive and beguile the man and the woman which 
God had created, and had given dominion over 
all of the animals of the earth. 

Thus we find, that after the Elders of Israel had 
related to Moses the traditional narrative of the 
creation of man and the woman, and their connu- 
bial bliss in the Garden of Eden, these Elders also 
related to Moses the disobedience of the man and 
the woman, and their great misery and unhappi- 
ness which were consequent thereto. 

In relating this unfortunate traditional narra- 
tive to Moses, the Elders of Israel brought into 
prominence a cetain animal called a "Serpent" 
and said that it was this animal that took such 
an active part in this terrible transaction. 

Now, as this traditional "serpent" has been 
recorded by Moses in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures 



110 THE "TKUH PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

as being the principal actor in the great drama 
which resulted in the disobedience of man and the 
consequent unhappiness which was the effect 
thereof, it would be a culpable neglect on the part 
of any Bible student not to make inquiry, and 
even a minute investigation into the origin and 
the nature of such a being that was capable of 
introducing so much misery and unhappiness 
into this world. But in reading the writings of 
many Biblical students, it is indeed surprising 
to find how few of them that ever take the time 
to make investigations into Biblical narratives a:id 
phenomena; but they simply accept what has bean 
written in the Bible without making any investi- 
gation, as to whether these phenomena be literal 
or metaphorical, and then resort to all kinds of 
unreasonable and irrational arguments to bolster 
up, and to make plausible those Scriptural Narra- 
tives that do not seem tenable and logical to a ra- 
tional mind. Then again, in many instances, be- 
cause science and reason have been eliminated, as 
being untenable in the interpretation of the Sacred 
Scriptures, some Biblical students have made 
many Biblical narratives to appear unreasonable 
and even ridiculous, and in some instances they 
have made the wisdom and the justice of the 
Supreme Being to appear inferior to that of man. 
It has been said by many who have sought dili- 
gently for rational thoughts concerning the Su- 
preme Being, that the great trouble with many so- 
called Theologians of today is, they are more ab- 
sorbed with the "Letter" of the Bible than they are 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 111 

with the "Spirit" of its rational teachings. Thus 
in many respects many Theologians attempt to 
interpret the metaphors, the allegories, the para- 
bles and the figurative forms of speech, in which 
the Jewish Sacred Scriptures abound, as literal 
transactions and as positive assertions, and then 
endeavor to explain these rhetorical expressions 
in such a manner as to try to make them har- 
monize with rational thought and sound sense. 

This narrative of the Serpent as taking an 
active part in the disobedience of man, as related 
lo Moses by the Elders of Israel, is a striking il- 
lustration of this fact, which when taken literally 
and considered rationally, seems irrational and 
absurd. As an argument to this end, some Theo- 
logians of rational thoughts concerning the Su- 
preme Being are convinced that God could not 
and did not create an unrighteous or an unholy 
being ; for it is said, that when God reviewed the 
acts of His creation He pronounced everything 
that He had created and made as being "Very 
Good." From this it can be seen that God did not 
create an unrighteous and an unholy being, who 
would in the course of time, and without His 
consent, make void and mar the perfection of the 
master-piece of His creation. 

Then again, attention is called to the fact that 
man alone was the only earthly creature who was 
created with a rational soul, and he alone was 
given a command, and was held strictly responsi- 
ble for its observance. There is no record extant to 
show that God ever created an animal or a reotile 



112 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

or any other creature that could subvert or alter 
His plans of righteousness, or even to induce any 
of His creatures that He had created to be disobe- 
dient to His command, and thereby make void the 
perfection of His creation. 

But before we enter further into the merits or 
the demerits of this discussion, as to the part 
that the "Serpent" played in the disobedience o c 
man, let us read again what the Elders of Israel 
told Moses concerning this significant beast of the 
field. In relating this important event, the Elders 
said to Moses, "Now the serpent was more subtil 
than any beast of the field which the Lord God 
had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, 
hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the 
garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, 
we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden : 
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst 
of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of 
it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the 
serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely 
die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat 
thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye 
shall be as gods, knowing good and evil/' Thus 
it was, that after the serpent had beguiled the 
woman, and she ate of the fruit of the tree, and 
after she had given the fruit to her husband, and 
he had eaten also of it, then the Elders of Israel 
said, that the Lord God pronounced a curse upon 
the serpent and said, "Because thou hast done 
this, thou art cursed above every beast of the field ; 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 113 

and upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt 
thou eat all the days of thy life." 

From the manner in which this narrative was 
related to Moses by the Elders of Israel, it can be 
seen by all who have any knowledge of rhetorical 
expressions, that the Elders of Israel did not in- 
tend this narrative of the serpent should be taken 
or understood in a literal and in a positive sense, 
but they simply used a familiar traditional story 
of the characteristics of a serpent as an apt il- 
lustration of the terrible disaster which befel man 
because of his wilful disobedience of the divine 
command. 

But as there are so many Theologians of tod^v 
who seriously and reverently look upon this alle- 
gorical narrative as being literal in every poin+ 
of view, it is the duty of all who seek rational 
thoughts concerning the Supreme Being of the 
Universe to make investigations as to the nature 
and the characteristics of this serpent which is 
said to have beguiled the woman, in order to find 
out its proper place in the category of animal 
species, and its real mission among men. 

It is said that many Philosophers and Scientist^ 
have made earnest researches and investigations 
into this Biblical narrative, and all of them have 
failed to find any animal or reptile in existence or 
that has been in existence which correspond in an r 
way whatever to the serpent or reptile spoken of 
in the narrative. In the study of Zoology, which 
treats of the structure and the habits of animals. 



114 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE . RELIGION 7 

Zoologist's say, they have been unable to discover 
any reptile that could reason and talk, in a literal 
sense, as this serpent of the narrative is said to 
have done. 

But as this narrative was one of the traditional 
narratives of the Jewish Nation, which narration 
is said to have been a familiar one among them for 
many hundreds of years, it should be up to that 
nation to make plain the true meaning of the 
serpent story, and to explain the significance there- 
of. Thus in the way of a rational explanation, the 
Jewish commentators on their Sacred Scriptures 
say, that the term, "Serpent" in the original He- 
brew tongue, and as used in the narrative by 
Moses, does not mean a serpent or a reptile of 
the Ophidia genus, but it simply means to hiss or 
to act like a serpent, or to possess the cunning 
and the wiles of a serpent. It is said of the 
Jewish Nation that in every section of country 
where these people were called upon to locate, 
especially in the land of Egypt, serpents were in 
abundance, and because of their abundance the 
Jewish Nation became well acquainted with their 
wily and deceptive characteristics, and thus it was, 
that anything that had a tendency to deceive, they 
compared to the wiles and the cunningness of a 
serpent. So it was that when the woman, out of 
her abnormal curiosity, yielded to her desire to 
taste the forbidden fruit of the tree, the Elders of 
Israel compared her curiosity to the cunning and 
the wiles of a serpent, and in a metaphorical form 






THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 115 

of speech said, 'The Serpent beguiled the woman, 
L,nd she ate of the fruit." 

In short, the meaning of the whole traditional 
story of the serpent beguiling the woman and the 
man to the act of disobedience is simply this: 
God made man and the woman perfect human 
beings, with a power to ivill and to choose. Being 
thus free moral agents, God gave them a com- 
mand, and it was up to them to obey or to disobey, 
for if they could not use their faculty or choice 
and their free moral agency, then a command 
would not have been necessary. But as they did 
use their wills, and in thus doing, yielded to their 
curiosity to taste the fruit that God had told them 
not to touch, they fell into Divine disfavor be- 
cause of their choice. But the Jewish Nation 
says, the serpent, as an animal and in a literal 
sense, had nothing whatever to do with their 
choice of tasting the forbidden fruit, and thereby 
incurring the disfavor of the Divine Being. That 
this is so, can be seen from the fact, that the Elders 
of Israel told Moses that when God created man, 
He gave him dominion over all the beasts of the 
field; and it is evident, that no beast of the 
field could beguile man, and cause him to do that 
which was contrary to the specific command of 
God. 

But notwithstanding this clear and rational 
statement of Jewish commentators, as to the tra- 
ditional story of the serpent as recorded by Moses, 
yet, there are some theologians who still cling to 
the literal interpretation of the serpent narrative, 



116 THE TKUH PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

and argue that this serpent was a real snake of 
the Ophidia genus, and that before the curse was 
pronounced upon it, this species of animals could 
walk, talk and reason like a human being; but 
that since the curse, it has been crawling upon 
its belly, and has been eating the dust of the 
earth. 

Then as there are so many eminent Theologians 
who firmly believe that a real serpent did beguile 
the woman to eat of the forbidden fruit, and as 
there are just as many who firmly believe to the 
contrary, the question is asked, Who did beguile 
the woman, and what prompted her to commit the 
great sin of disobedience ? In answer to this all- 
important question it can be said, that from a 
rational point of view, the Elders of Israel in re- 
lating to Moses this traditional narrative of the 
disobedience of the first man and woman of crea- 
tion spoke illustratively and metaphorically, and it 
is generally thought by Jewish commentators that 
Moses so understood it, when he recorded it in 
the Jewish Sacred Scriptures. Not only this, but 
it is said that the whole Jewish nation, all along 
the ages, has so regarded this traditional narra- 
tive, for according to their knowledge of serpents, 
they were well aware of the fact, that no reptile 
could do in a literal and a positive way what the 
Elders of Israel told Moses it had done. Then 
again in its allegorical and its metaphorical teach- 
ings as to the serpent, the Jewish Nation was per- 
fectly familiar; and even to this day, that nation 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 117 

is orthodox in its views as to the real significance 
and the allegorical teachings of the proverbial ser- 
pent. 

Then again in its allegorical and metaphorical 
teachings, this beguilement, or this temptation of 
the serpent to induce man to disobey the command 
of God was in no sense an external temptation, for 
temptation is internal and not external, as the 
literal interpretation of the narrative would sug- 
gest; for in no logical sense can it be said, that 
man can be beguiled or tempted to disobedience 
by another creature, especially by an inferior beast 
of the field. 

But above and beyond all, Psychologists tell us 
that "Temptation" is one of man's noblest facul- 
ties or powers of mind with which he has been 
endowed by His Creator, and this faculty was 
given to man to induce and to incite him to deeds 
of righteousness and obedience, and not to acts 
of disobedience ; and it can be truthfully said, that 
no man can be tempted externally to do evil. 

The Seed of the Woman 
As to the Seed of the woman, the Elders of 
Israel in relating their traditional information 
concerning the disobedience of man, and the part 
that this allegorical serpent took in the trans- 
action, the Elders said to Moses, "And the Lord 
God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done 
this, thou art cursed above every beast of the 
field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt 
thou eat all the days of thy life : and I will put 



118 THH TRUE PiaMIlIYE RELIGION 

enmity between thee and the woman, and between 
thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, 
and thou shalt bruise his heel." 

In commenting on this part of this traditional 
narrative, the Jewish commentators say, that 
there is nothing peculiarly prophetic attached to 
this phrase, The Seed of the Woman, etc., but it is 
simply a conclusion of the traditional allegorical 
story. They also say, that the seeming propheti- 
cal reference to a spiritual Redeemer, a Saviour, 
a Substitute and a Jewish Messiah, which has been 
attached to this traditional narrative, is not of 
Jewish origin, but of pagan origin, and wholly un- 
warranted as to truth, especially when it has 
been made to predict a Jewish spiritual Messiah. 

Thus these Jewish commentators say, that the 
Seed of the Woman has reference to man. in 
general and not to a spiritual Redeemer ; the bruis- 
ing of the heel of man by the serpent, simply 
means, the temporary conquest of sin over man ; 
and the bruising of the head of the serpent, means 
the final and complete conquest of sin by man. In 
other words, the Elders of Israel used this allegori- 
cal form of speech to express a temporary victory, 
and a final defeat. 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, heartily acquiesce in the allegori- 
cal interpretation of this narrative. 

{Signed) The JURY. 



. THiC Tiillu PRIMITIVE RELIGION \[ ; ) 

CHAPTER XVI. 
IS GOD MERCIFUL, AND DOES HE PARDON 

SIN? 

In the consideration of this subject, the mind of 
a rational thinker naturally reverts to the es- 
sential characteristics and attributes of the Su- 
preme Being. It will be noted, that in the dis- 
cussion of the chapter on the Essential Character- 
istics and Attributes of the Supreme Being, noth- 
ing whatever was said as to the existence of an 
attribute of "Mercy." At first thought, some one 
might consider that a great mistake was made 
in not including Mercy in the list of God's Es- 
sential Characteristics and Attributes. But it 
must be remembered, that the main object of this 
Volume is to consider and discuss such rational 
thoughts and views that can be logically and rea- 
sonably entertained of the Supreme Being. Thus, 
we have endeavored to present to our readers, and 
to discuss only those views of the Supreme Being 
that we think can be supported and upheld by 
reason and rational thoughts. 

In a rational sense, the essential attributes of 
the Supreme Being are those self -existing, eternal, 
independent, necessary and unchangeable char- 
acteristics of His nature ; without which He could 
not be God. 

The term "Mercy," as used by most theologians 
is a Legal term, and has reference to that mild, 
tender and compassionate feeling that a Judge 



120 Tli.C TKUii PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

entertains for a criminal or a wrong-doer, accom- 
panied with a disposition and an inclination to 
forego justice, to remit the penalty, and to pardon 
the offender. 

Now the great question arises, Is Mercy one of 
the Essential Attributes of the Supreme Being? 
If so, then under what head can this essential 
characteristic be logically placed ? To consider this 
question from a strictly rational point of view, 
it is indeed unreasonable and grossly irrational 
to attribute to the Supreme Being any character 
istic that is not eternal and essentially selfexist- 
ing ; for none of the Attributes of God are contin- 
gent Attributes, and neither do they depend for 
their exercise upon some unforseen event that 
might happen, and upon some probable transaction 
that might take place. It is also unreasonable and 
irrational to think of God as a progressive Being 
in thought and plan, and as a changeable Being in 
action; or as possessing any Attributes that will 
meet an event that will not be of His own creation , 

Now it is evident, that God was not, neither 
could He have been the Creator of the sin which 
an offender is guilty of; and as He was not the 
creator, nor the cause of sin, there was therefore 
no necessity for the Supreme Being to possess an 
eternal attribute of Mercy to meet the contingency 
of an offender; for it has been clearly set forth, 
that Mercy is strictly a contingent attribute, and 
deals only with a sinful offender. Then again, as 
God did not create sin, and as man was not made a 






THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 121 

sinful creature, there was no need of an eternal 
attribute of Mercy on the part of the Supreme 
Being to meet a contingency that did not exist 
from all eternity, and was not in existence at 
the time of man's creation. 

But in the further discussion of this important 
question, theologians have been led into the con- 
sideration of another intricate subject, and that is, 
What is the origin of sin, and who is responsible 
for its existence? It has been truly stated, that 
there is no Effect without a corresponding Cause. 
It has also been stated in this chapter, that God 
did not create sin, neither can it be said, that He 
is the Author or the Cause of it. Then the ques- 
tion is asked, If there is no Effect without a Cause, 
how came sin into existence as an Effect? In 
answer to this question, it can be truthfully stated, 
as there is no creational sin, neither can it be 
classed as a logical Effect, for logical Effects are 
due to the proper use of natural and spiritual 
laws. But sin is not the effect of the proper use 
of these laws, and because of which fact, it cannot 
be logically classed as an Effect. 

As an evidence of this fact, it is said that Adam, 
the first historic man of creation, was created a 
perfect human being; and as such, God gave him 
a specific law to observe and to obey. But as 
Adam neglected to observe and to obey this 
specific law, the consequence of this disobedience 
was, sin and confusion resulted therefrom. 



122 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION: 

But some might ask,. What is the difference be- 
tween the logical effect of an act, and the conse- 
quence of an act? The answer can be given to 
this question by saying, the logical effect of an 
action is due to a logical Cause, which Cause is in 
harmony with the natural and spiritual laws of 
God and of the Universe. But consequence is a 
perversion of these laws, and is out of harmony 
with the natural and spiritual laws of God and 
the Universe. Therefore, it can be said, that 
Effect is creational and rational in action, but 
consequence is preversional and irrational in ; : - 
tion. That this is so, theologians say, if Adam had 
obeyed the law of God the Effect upon him would 
have been continued life ; but as he disobeyed the 
law of God, the consequence was, instantanr. s 
death. 

Now, the greatest of all questions arises, and 
that is, Is God merciful, and does He pardon sinl 
Thus in dealing with this intricate question, the- 
ologians are wont to say, that while there were no 
provisions, in the self -existing Attributes of the 
Supreme Being, made for the perversion of His 
laws, yet, there is to be found in the Book i 
Nature, as well as in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures 
a remedy that will heal if not cure all natural and 
spiritual ailments resulting from a perversion of 
His natural and spiritual laws. Thus they b 
that medicines when properly applied will heal 
all physical ailments. In the Jewish Sacred Scrip- 
tures, they also say, are to be found these words. 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 123 

"The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, 
forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no 
means clearing the guilty." From these allusions 
theologians conclude, that it is rational to think 
that God is indeed Merciful, and that He does 
pardon sin. As a further explanation of this 
mysterious subject, many theologians are of the 
opinion, that while Mercy cannot be classed as 
a separate and distinct Attribute of God, because 
it is not self-existing and eternal, yet, they say, it 
is included in the Attribute of God's love. 
Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, do affirm the above arguments as 
being both logical and rational. 

(.Signed) The JURY. 



124 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

CHAPTER XVII. 

THE RESTORATION OF MAN TO THE IMAGE 

AND THE LIKENESS OF HIS CREATOR 

It has been shown, that in the disobedience . of 
the first man of creation, he lost his perfect and 
righteous image and likeness of his Creator, and 
the result was, his intellectual, his moral and his 
religious faculties became greatly blunted and 
blurred, and he also became as it were, a human 
and spiritual wreck. 

In the foregoing chapter, the query was made 
as to whether God is a merciful Being, and if He 
would pardon sin? This query, supposedly, having 
been answered and settled to the satisfaction of all 
rational minds, another great query has been 
made, and that is, Was God merciful to Adam, and 
aid He pardon him of his great transgression? 

In answer to these queries, the Elders of Israel 
are very explicit; so much so, that they will be 
allowed to insert in this chapter their own tes- 
timony as they related it to Moses. 

Thus, Moses wrote concerning the restoration of 
man, by saying, "And the Lord God said unto the 
serpent, I will put enmity between thee and the 
woman, and between thy seed and her seed; 
it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his 
heel." In this allegorical expression, it is thought 
by many theologians, that God intimated to Adam 
that He was a merciful Being, and that He would 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 125 

pardon him for his sin of disobedience to His 
command; and would also restore him again to 
the former image and likeness of his Creator. 
Some of these theologians are also of the opinion, 
that this promise was faithfully fulfilled, and that 
Adam was literally restored again to the image 
and likeness of his Creator, from the fact, that Ho 
who made the promise would faithfully perform 
the same ; for they say, that all of His promises are 
sure and steadfast. 

But it will be noted, that some modern theolo- 
gians have speculated as to the significance and 
the spiritual interpretation of this allegorical nar- 
rative ; and some of them have held that the "Seed 
of the woman which should bruise the serpent's 
head." was a Messianic prophecy; and have not 
only based upon it the restoration of Adam from 
the consequences of his disobedience, but they 
also base upon it the restoration of all of his 
posterity, who they claim shared with Adam in the 
f reat transgression. 

But it must be ever kept in mind, that rational 
thoughts concerning the living and the true God, 
and the true religion cannot be gotten from the 
teachings of modern speculative theologians, for it 
has been proven that most all speculative doc- 
trines, as we have them today, are pagan doc- 
trines, and of pagan origin. But rational doc- 
trines concerning the living and the true God are 
founded upon the traditional teachings of the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures, and also upon the teach- 



126 THH TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

ings of the Book of Nature. Thus the Jewish 
ion holds, that those doctrines and views of 
God which are antagonistic to these two reliable 
sources are not rational doctrines and. views con- 
rning God. and neither should they be relied 
upon as containing the fundamental truths of the 
true religion. 

It is indeed an historical fact, that ancient 
Egypt was the mother of speculative and classical 
theology, and it also invented the plan of salvation 
bs it is now constituted. As an argument to this 
assertion, it is claimed, that the ancient Egyptian 
philosophers in studying the nature of their gods 
held to the idea that their gods could restore 
man again to his original righteous condition. But 
not only did the ancient Egyptians hold that their 
gods could restore man again to his original con- 
dition, but they also held that some of their gods 
were redeemers, saviors, mediators and deliver- 
ers. Thus it was. the ancient Egyptian reduced 
the knowledge of their gods to a science, which 
was taught in their schools, and the worship of 
whom was practiced in their temples. 

But on the other hand, it can be said to the 
credit of the ancient Jewish nation, that as a 
nation, it knew nothing of the Egyptian and the 
Roman plan of the restoration of man, and neither 
were they acquainted with the Egyptian and Ro- 
man classical and speculative system of theology. 

But the religion of the Jewish nation was a 
religion of nature, and not of speculative philoso- 






THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION ] 2~ 

phy; and the tenets of this religion were based 
upon the religious faculties of the individual ; and 
that each and every individual is personally re- 
sponsible to God for the choice and the selection of 
his own actions. 

From this it can be seen, that the Adamic trans- 
gression w T as not a national transgression, as some 
eminent theologians have argued, neither was the 
consequence thereof a national consequence; but 
the Jewish nation has always held, that as the 
disobedience of man and the consequences there- 
of were personal as to Adam, so his restoration 
was in like manner a personal restoration. 

Then again, the Jewish nation had no gods 
which were manifested in the flesh; it had no hu- 
man saviors, nor mediators, nor redeemers, nor ad- 
vocators, nor human plan of salvation; but as a 
chosen nation to hold inviolate the true knowledge 
of the Creator, that nation held that it was the 
Creator, and Him alone, who restored man again 
to his former image and likeness of his Creator. 

But as man has been restored again to the image 
and the likeness of his Creator, the question has 
been asked, what was the nature and the character 
of this restoration ? In answer to this very impor- 
tant query, it can be said, that the nature and the 
character of this restoration be in the fact, that 
man repented of his sin and God pardoned him 
of his trangression and removed the terrible con- 
sequences which resulted therefrom ; and that man 



12S THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

stood in the same relation with his Creator as 
though he had never sinned. 

Yerdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, heartily acquiesce in the restora- 
tion of man by God alone, as presented in this 
chapter. 

{Signed) The JURY 



THE TRUH PRIMITIVE R'EMGION 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
MAN'S PRESENT RELATION AND OBLIGA- 
TION TO HIS CREATOR 

We have endeavored to show, that after the 
disobedience of man, God said unto the serpent, 
"The seed of the woman shall bruise thy head." 

Then again, we have endeavored to show, that 
the Jewish nation understood this allegorical ex- 
pression to mean, that man would be restored 
again to the image and the likeness of his Crea- 
tor. Now if it be taught that man was restored 
again to the image and the likeness of his Creator, 
then the great question arises, What is man's 
present relation and obligation to his Creator? 

In answer to this important question, theolo- 
gians of rational theology have contended, that 
man's present relation and obligation to his Cre- 
ator is just the same now as it was before he fell 
into the sin of disobedience. 

But it must be understood that man's present 
relation and obligation to his Creator does not con- 
sist in his unwavering conformity with certain 
theological dogmas, and denominational tenets, 
which have been codified and ratified by a few 
self-constituted and selfish theologians, who for 
sinister motives and obvious purposes have palmed 
their own ideas and views upon the religious 
world, but it can be truthfully said, that man's 
present relation and obligation to his Creator is 



130 THE THUK PRIMITIVE RKLIG1 

summed up in his strict obedience to God's spe : 
commands, which are, "Thou shalt, and thou sh 

not." 

It is indeed an historical fact that the Jewish 
nation, even from i ilation as a nation. 

not speculate in intricate theological dogmas and 
questionable religious tenets, but it is safe to e 
that outside of a strict adherence and a reverential 
obedience to the commandments of the living : 
the true God, that nation felt no other religious 
responsibility nor any other religious obligation. 

That man is a creature of God's creation is 
evident from the fact, that the Elders of Israel 
told Moses, that God created man out of the dust 
of the ground, and that He breathed into his nos- 
trils the breath of life and man became a living- 
soul. From this it can be seen that this specific 
creation of man makes him a relative of his 
Creator; for it is said, that God created man in 
his own image,- and after his own likeness. Th 
man's relationship to his Creator is that of a Son ; 
and as a Son, he is privileged to call his Creator, 
"Father." Then again, the Elders of Israel t 
Moses that God gave man a specific commandment 
to observe and to obey. This commandment 
binding upon man and brought him under moral 
obligations to his Creator. But as the sequel 
shows, the disobedience of this command, mar: 
in him the image and the likeness of his Creat i 
and greatly changed the creational relation:, 
which existed between the man and his Creator. 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 131 

But as the Elders of Israel told Moses, That the 
seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's 
head, the Jewish nation claims, that man was re- 
stored again to the former relationship with his 
Creator, and life was started anew under this 
changed and restored condition. 

It is indeed evident, that the moral Obligation 
of man consists in giving strict obedience to all 
of the precepts and commands of his Creator. He 
is also under moral obligations to be in conformity 
with the Will of God ; and to have an unwavering- 
desire to please the Lord. The moral faculties of 
man are not endowments to be acquired, but they 
are intuitive faculties and need but to be exer- 
cised. Thus, if Adam had exercised his moral in- 
tuitive faculties he would not have fallen into the 
sin of disobedience, and thereby transgressed the 
law of God, but he would have felt the pressure 
of his moral obligation and would have obeyed 
his every word. 

This is also true of man's religious faculties. It 
is indeed evident that man was not only created 
with moral faculties, which bring him under moral 
obligations to his Creator, but he was also created 
with religious faculties, which bring him under 
religious obligations to his Creator. The religious 
faculties of man include his reverence for God ; his 
love, faith, esteem, veneration and adoration. 
Thus man should use all of his religious faculties 
to the honor and glory of God, and should 
worship Him in spirit and in truth, for He seeketh 
such to worship Him. 



132 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

But some one might ask, If man is under moral 
and religious obligations to his Creator, What are 
some of the laws and precepts that man is called 
upon to observe and to obey? 

In answer to this question, the Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures inform us that God gave specific moral 
and religious commandments to his servant Moses 
for the guidance of the Jewish nation, and through 
that nation, these laws and precepts were to be 
disseminated to all of the other nations of the 
world. 

Thus we are told, that God spoke all of these 
words to Moses saying, "I am the Lord thy God, 
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 
image, or any likeness of anything that is in 
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or 
that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt 
not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them : for 
I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the 
iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the 
third and fourth generation of them that hate me ; 
and showing mercy unto thousands of them that 
love me, and keep my commandments. 

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy 
God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guilt- 
less that taketh his name in vain. 

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, Six 
days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work : But the 
seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in 
it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, 



T HE TR U E P K I m ;t I V E R k L I G I O N 13 3 

nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid- 
servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is 
within thy gates : For in six days the Lord made 
heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, 
and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord 
blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy 
days may be long upon the land which the Lord 
thy God giveth thee. 

Thou shalt not kill. 

Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

Thou shalt not steal. 

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy 
neighbour. 

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou 
shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man- 
servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his 
ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's." 

Thus, we conclude this chapter by saying that 
man is now under strict moral obligation, to ob- 
serve and to obey all of these commandments of 
God ; and he is also under strict religious obliga- 
tions to reverence,. to honour, to adore, to respect 
and to love his Creator. This is the whole duty 
of man's obligation to God, and when it is cheer- 
fully and reverently performed, God is well 
pleased, and man is greatly blessed. 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, affirm the above conclusion, as 
constituting the present relation and obligations 
of man to God, and consider them as being sound 



134 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

and rational; and worthy of careful study and 
strict religious adherence. 

{Signed) The JURY. 



THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 135 

CHAPTER XIX. 
THE JEWISH SACRED SCRIPTURES IN COM- 
PARISON TO OTHER SACRED WRITINGS 

It has been fully demonstrated in some previous 
chapters of this Volume, that the Religious Ideas 
and Views of man are universal as to his habita- 
tion ; which is indeed due to the fact, that man by 
nature, is a Religious being; and has always en- 
tertained some Ideas and Views concerning the 
Supreme Being, and has always engaged in some 
form of Religious Worship. That this is so, Plu- 
tarch, the great Grecian Biographer said: "Ex- 
ploring the world, you may possibly find cities 
without walls or coins, or schools, or theatres ; but 
a city without some form of worship, no one ever 
saw." 

Cicero, the great Roman orator, patriot and 
statesman said : "There is no nation so barbarous, 
no ma^n so savage, as that some apprehension of 
the gods has not tinctured his mind. Vicious 
customs may have led men into error concerning 
them, but all believe in a Divine power." 

It would indeed be the height of folly for any 
one to dispute the fact, that all along the ages, 
the devotees of every religious sect have had 
implicit faith and confidence in the teachings and 
tenets of their respective religions; for this fact 
has been fully demonstrated, even though some of 



THE TKUH PRIMITIVE RKLIG1 

as ides views, in the imatioi 

of others :v ridicul 

.I'd. 

this point historians tel] us, that the be- 
at 3d tribes ; : 2 mtral Afri : ; ; as de- 
Fetich Relin the m 
htened peoples :: Europe and Asia are devoted 
to tt renets. 

l~ is indeed a religious axiom, that the 

and character of its ~- :>f the g 

that a nation or a people worship have 
letermined the correct] le nc rrectness 

their religious ideas and views, and alsc Their 
religion ling in the world. Thus 

if a nation m people worshif as their gc 
material objects, which have been molded or 

red Hit of wood or brass by the hand : 
the id to be idolatry. 7: i nation or 

people pay hom the heavenly bodies at tc 

re upon the aarth their religion is 
)e heathenism. If a natioi w people deify hun 
yes and s *ribe iivine honors tc man, and wor- 
n beings as their fe deir religion 

aid :: be pagani But if . >r ; peo- 

rs] > the Supreme Being of the Universe 
and :: Him infinite i ~. ites and Hi 

ltful ". sligiou io be 

- ;ine and 7 7\ 

:ell us, that there are : t le 

different so-called religions that are now extau _ 
world, whose te : ed in a 



THR TRUK PRIMITIVH RELIGION 1 :j 7 

different Sacred Books or Bibles, and whose vo- 
taries, with the exception of the votaries of the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures, claim for them divine 
inspiration, and thereby to be of divine authority. 

We are told that the seven Sacred Books or 
Bibles which are said to teach the tenets of as 
many different religions, are as follows : 

1— The Tri Pitikes of the Buddhists. 

2 — The Five Kings of the Chinese. 

3 — The Zend-Avesta of the Persians. 

4 — The Vedas of the Hindoos. 

5 — The Koran of the Mohammedans. * 

6 — The New Testament of the Roman Catho- 
lics and the Protestants. 

7 — The Old Testament Scriptures of the Jewish 
Nation. 

Now as to the teachings of these various Sacred 
Books or Bibles, it has been said by those who have 
given these Sacred Books deep research and study, 
that all of them, with the exception of the Sacred 
Scriptures of the Jewish nation, have been found 
to be spurious in their claims as to divine authori- 
ty, and also have been found to be either the off- 
spring of human inventions ; the compilations of 
philosophical quotations ; or containing con- 
tradictory and superstitious ideas and views of the 
Supreme Being. 

That this is so, we are told that the Tri Pitikes 
of the Buddhists contain sublime morals and pure 
aspirations, but grossly absurd and inconsistent 
ideas and views of the Supreme Being. 



13S THH TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

The Five Kings of the Chinese teach polythe- 
ism, and are compilations of the best sayings of 
Chinese Sages on the duties of life. 

The Zend A vesta of the Persians teaches Dual- 
ism, and that all mankind are divided into two 
classes, the elect and the reprobate; and that the 
destinies of these two classes are presided over 
by two fundamental beings. 

The Vedas of the Hindoos is said to teach Pan- 
theism in its complete form. 

The Koran of the Mohammedans is said to be a 
compilation of quotations, borrowed from the 
Jewish Talmud, the gospel of St. Barnabas and il- 
luminated by many passages taken from the New 
Testament and other pagan writings. 

The New Testament of the Roman Catholics and 
Protestants as that Book is now constituted, is con- 
sidered by some theologians to be semi-pagan in 
its teachings ; in that it teaches that the Supreme 
Being of the Universe is "Tria Juncta in Uno," in 
His existence: i. e., Three Joined in One, or a 
Tri-une Being. 

But the Sacred Scriptures of the Jewish nation 
is said to be the only Sacred Volume that teaches 
the Monotheism of God, and which contains cor- 
rect Ideas and Views of the Supreme Being of 
the Universe. It is also said, that these Sacred 
Writings constitute the only Volume which has 
stood the test of a Rational and logical Examina- 
tion of the Monotheistic Existence of the Living 
and the True God. 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 159 

Now as there are so many different so-called 
Sacred Volumes that are extant in the world 
claiming divine inspiration, the great and all im- 
portant question has been asked, "What are some 
of the teachings of the true religion, and how can 
the true be distinguished from the false religions 
that are now extant in the world ?" 

In answer to these questions it can be said, that 
rational theologians have laid down the following 
rules and characteristics to be strictly followed, in 
order to distinguish the true religion from the 
false religions of the world: 

1st. Theologians of rational theology say, that 
the Sacred Writings which inculcate and teach 
rational Ideas and Views of the Supreme Being 
must point out the true nature of His Existence ; 
must portray His true Character and must ascribe 
to Him His rightful Attributes. 

2nd. They must give correct views of the 
creation of the Heaven and the Earth, and the 
origin of all things that are therein. 

3rd. They must tell of the true origin of man, 
and of his relation to his Creator. 

4th. They must make plain the moral and the 
spiritual laws that govern man's earthly existence, 
and also the laws which bring him under obliga- 
tions to his Creator. 

Thus these rational theologians say, that the 
Sacred Writings that measure up to these require- 
ments contain true views of God ; and the religion 
that is taught therein is the true "esperanto" or 



TH: 

miversal religion, for it eoinc sre- 

pous nature and ha: 

faculties. 

Then again it can be said, That the 7. ae Reli .- 
ion i at Religion of rightc : - not s 

religion of narrow sectarian the >lc 
ure now formulated and taught the vari 
schools. 

Not >nly this, bat rational theologians .""that 
the Jewish Sacred ■ :. - - have ... 
swered all of the above requirements as be 
teachings of the true religio:: it have proven 

:nd the shadow of a reasonable :" : .. 

religions that differ from the tea 
±eligioi: are both false and spurious 

But as strange as it may Bem the Jewish na- 
tion has never settled upon a specific name foi 
the True Religion. sen given :. 

then religions. 7'.. 7 nearest . ". :: 

specific name that has been iven the re _. 
. fessed by the Jewish nav th at oi Z 

The name Z semed to have been i 

■ : 1 : m me for they caHef ~ ci 

* their temple " v Z J. 

their Sacred Temp.r Z ^ freqaentl] 

called those who wc 1 ; fa le : in this Temple 
But in the pj fewyc 
since the conclusion :: the peal woi 
scattered Jews have leei " re- 

nt for the return of all Je 
native land, and to revive 






THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 141 

their religion, this movement has been termed 
"ZIONISM." 

Verdict of the Jury 

We, the Jury, do aver, that after a careful 
research and a strict comparison of the various 
sacred writings, it is our unanimous conclusion, 
that the Jewish Sacred Scriptures is the only 
Volume that is now extant that teaches the Gen- 
uine and the True Religion, and the correct ideas 
and views of the Supreme Being. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



142 thh: tkuk primitive religion 

CHAPTER XX. 
THE NATURE OF TRUE WORSHIP 

We have endeavored to show in a previous chap- 
ter, that man, by creation, is a Religious Being, 
and that he was endowed, at the time of his crea- 
tion, with such religious faculties with which he 
can honor, revere and worship his Creator. 

It has also been demonstrated, that those facul- 
ties with which man can worship his Creator are 
the most sacred of all of his faculties, for when 
properly utilized he is brought into close rela- 
tionship to his Creator, because of the fact, that 
man was created in the image and the likeness of 
his Creator. 

But this chapter was not written for the purpose 
of considering the Religious Nature of man, but it 
was written for the express purpose of consider- 
ing the Nature of True Religious Worship. It is 
indeed evident, that religious worship on the pari: 
of man is in no way due to a divine command, for 
it is just as natural for man to engage in religious 
worship, as it is for the wind to blow, and for the 
seed to grow. 

Now if it be true, that man was created a 
religious being, and that it is natural for him to 
engage in religious worship, the question is some- 
times asked, Why are there so many different 
forms of religious worship, and why are there so 
many divergent views as to its performance? 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 143 

In answer to this important question it can be 
said, that man, when he was in his primitive state 
of rigteousness, did have a uniformity of worship ; 
for he worshiped his Creator according to the dic- 
tates and promptings of his religious faculties ; for 
in his primitive state, all of his religious faculties 
were sensitively alive and in constant use, and he 
sought to gratify all of his spiritual desires and 
longings, as he now seeks to gratify all of his 
physical desires and longings. From this it can be 
seen, that man has an intuitive desire for religious 
worship, which was implanted in his nature at the 
time of his -creation. As to the varying forms of 
worship, it can be said, that it was due mainly to 
the disobedience of man, which disobedience great- 
ly disaffecte'd his moral and religious faculties; 
and in the course of time, these faculties became 
so blunted and blurred that man began to lose 
sight of the true worship, and began to worship 
the creature instead of the Creator. But not- 
withstanding- this great divergence on the part of 
man as to religious worship, yet, man is still a 
strictly religious being, for it has been shown by 
historians, that man's desire for divine worship is 
as universal as his habitation. 

Then again, another great query has arisen in 
the minds of many who have given this subject a 
serious consideration, and that is, How may we 
know that our worship is the true worship, and 
that it is acceptable unto God? 



144 THE TRUH PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

In answer to this query it can be said, that if a 
man worship God according to the dictates of his 
innate religious faculties, and reverences and 
adores the Creator of the Universe, by ascribing 
unto Him infinite power, majesty, wisdom and 
love, he is engaged in the true worship; for he 
is utilizing and exercising his religious faculties to 
the end for which they were given ; and if this 
be done, the Creator of the Universe is being wor- 
shiped, and with such worship He is well pleased. 
From this it can be seen, that the True Worship is 
devoid of the worship of all other creatures, ex- 
cept the Supreme Being of the Universe, and 
which worship is centered and fixed exclusively 
upon Him and Him alone. As to the form and 
manner of true worship, there seems to be no 
fixed rule, neither is there anything binding as to 
how it should be done. But as there are many na- 
tions who have many forms and ceremonies which 
they claim are essential to be used in order to 
worship the Supreme Being aright, and which 
they also claim is the only proper way and mode 
of worshiping the Supreme Being of the Universe, 
it can be said, that true worship does not consist 
solely of outward forms and ceremonies, but it is 
also an inward worship of the heart, of the soul 
and of the mind. It is a worship emanating from 
a clean heart, a sanctified soul and a pure mind. 
But the outward demonstrations of this inward 
worship are sometimes made manifest in song, 
in prayer, in exhortation, in praise, in thanks- 



THK TUUK PRIMITIVE KKLIGION M5 

giving and in meditation. The Jewish Sacrecl 
Scriptures abound in examples of holy men of 
old engaged in soul worship, which was at- 
tended with external manifestations. David is 
said to have engaged in worship of the living 
and the true God by means of songs. Nehemiah is 
said to have worshiped by means of prayer ; Isaiah 
by means of prophetic exhortations; Ezekiel by 
means of symbolic representations and Jeremiah 
by religious zeal and deep meditations. 

Not only this but. we are ' informed, that the 
Jewish Nation, all along the ages, has been greatly 
impressed with the nature of true worship and it 
has been their national pride and pleasure to earn- 
estly engage in the same. 

While it is indeed true, that the Jewish Nation 
observed and celebrated many, so-called, religious 
feasts and festivals in the Jewish Church, yet these 
feasts and festivals could not be called strictly 
religious in their nature, for nothing is religious 
outside of a man's religious faculties; but these 
feasts and festivals were national in their obser- 
vance and commemoration, and were celebrated 
m commemoration of some Jewish national 
event. As a further evidence of a man's religious 
nature in connection with true worship, it can be 
said, that the religious faculties of man were given 
for the express purpose of worshiping the Crea- 
tor, and for no other purpose; and these facul- 
ties cannot be legitimately used for any other 
purpose than to worship God. 



146 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

Thus from this it can be seen, that the Nature 
of True Worship is purely a heart worship, a soui 
worship, and a mind worship, and the religious 
faculties with which man has been wonderfully 
endowed should be strictly utilized to this end. 
Verdict of the Jury 

We, the Jury of rational thoughts concerning 
the Supreme Being of the Universe, do heartily 
acquiesce in the views expressed in this chapter, 
and claim that true worship is a part of man, and 
found in his nature, and this religious nature- 
should be utilized in the worship of the Creator of 
the Universe. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 147 

CHAPTER XXL 
THE PROPER PLACE OF TRUE WORSHIP 

As man has been declared to be a religious being, 
because he was created with such religious facul- 
ties with which he can worship his Creator, it is 
both logical and rational to conclude that these 
iaculties should be religiously exercised, and the 
worship for which they were given should be 
earnestly and reverently engaged in. 

It is indeed an evident fact, that from the nature 
of these religious faculties, it is also rational for 
man to conclude that the human heart is the 
proper place in which to perform these religious 
exercises. As has been previously stated, the 
true religion it not a religion that is external to 
man, but it is internal and a component part of 
his existence ; for it is natural for man to engage 
in worship. Then again, that man should wor- 
ship the Supreme Being with all of his heart is 
not a new discovery on the part of man, for it is 
a part of his very creation, for he has engaged 
in it all along the ages. 

But some one might ask, Did not the people of 
the Adamic age resort to a specific place to per- 
form their religious worship, and did not the Su- 
preme Being of the Universe give sanction to such 
a place ? 

In our investigation of the Jewish Sacred Scrip- 
tures for data on this subject, as to the place where 



148 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

the Elders of Israel told Moses that religious 
worship was performed, prior to the captivity of 
the Jewish nation in the land of Egypt, we find 
that there had been no temple, nor any public place 
to worship where the Jewish nation periodically 
met to pay homage to their Creator. 

It is indeed an historical fact, that Moses was 
the first to assemble the Elders of Israel together 
for public worship ; and this was done when they 
were in the wilderness, and on their journey to the. 
land of Canaan ; for prior to that period, the Jew- 
ish Patriarchs, or the heads of each Jewish Tribe 
would conduct their family or tribal worship 
in their own homes, where they would give 
praise and honor to the living and the true God. 

It is also an historical fact, that after Moses had 
called together these Elders of Israel in the barren 
fields of the wilderness, he enlargd upon the pri- 
vate worship of the Patriarchs, by instituting the 
public worship of the whole Jewish nation. For 
this public worship, it is said, that Moses was 
directed to erect a Tabernacle or a Tent in the 
wilderness ; and historians say, for many hundreds 
of years thereafter, the whole of the Jewish nation 
conducted their public worship of the living and 
the True God in this tent or Tabernacle, even 
after that nation had made their permanent dwell- 
ing in the land of Canaan. 

Then again, we are informed by Jewish his- 
torians, that during the kingship and the reign 
of David over the children of Israel, God sent his 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION liJ 

prophet Nathan to king David and told him to 
prepare, and to build a house, or a Temple so that 
the Jewish people might have a permanent place of 
public worship. Thus it is said, that David pre- 
pared abundantly, and made ready for the build- 
ing of the house of God. But just as David had 
in this great work, we are told, that God 
frustrated all his plans, and gave the work over to 
David's son, Solomon, to perform. In about seven 
years Solomon had the Temple completed, and it 
dedicated to the worship of the living and 
the true God. 

W lso told, that the Jewish nation wor- 

shiped in this Temple until their country 
invaded by the Babylonians, who conquered and 
subdued the Jewish nation and destroyed their 
Temple, and carried the principal part of 
Jewish people to Babylon as captives. After 
seventy years of this captivity, it is said, that 

in to- their native land, 
and were allowed to rebuild their Temple, and they 
resumed again their public worship of the living 
the tru« God. But it is further remarked, 
t in the course of time, the Jewish nation be 
matter themselves among the othe: 
the world ; and in commemoration of their Ter 
at Jerusalem, they built Synagogues, and in tr 
minor Temples they perpetuated their " 
of the living and the true God. 

But it will be noted, that it was not the. object 
of the Jewish people to assemble in their Temple 



150 THK TRUR PRIMITIVE RKLIGION 

to discuss and to promulgate theological dogmas, 
neither was it their object to impress upon the 
worshipers the beauty and the grandeur of their 
spectacular ceremonies, but the main object of the 
Jewish people, when they assembled in their holy 
Temple was to worship the living and the true God, 
and to relate what God had done for their fore- 
fathers, and what He would do for them, if they 
were faithful and obedient unto Him. 

Then again the Jewish Church, while it cele- 
brated many rites and observed many ceremonies, 
yet, it knew nothing of the spectacular rites and. 
ceremonies of the so-called pagan churches which 
have been, and are now extant. It is said, that the 
prime object of the Jewish Church was to inculcate 
the principles of the true primitive religion ; while 
the pagan churches impressed upon their votaries 
the importance of their doctrines and the princi- 
ples of their sectarian creeds. 

Yes, it was in a Jewish assembly, that Moses 
called together in the wilderness for public wor- 
ship, that the Elders of Israel told him, "In the 
beginning God created the heaven and the earth." 
It was also in this assembly in the wilderness, 
that the Elders of Israel related to Moses the or- 
derly process through which creation went, and 
which culminated in the creation of man. It was 
in the Tabernacle in the wilderness that Moses 
gave the Jewish nation the Ten Commandments 
which God had given him on the Mount of Sinai ; 
and it was in the Temple of the living God, that 
the Jewish Patriarchs and Priests related to the 



THE TRUi< PRIMITIVE RELIGION 151 

people the goodness of their God, and his provi- 
dential care and keeping. 

The concluding thought of this chapter is, that 
as the Jewish nation, from whom alone we get 
our rational thoughts concerning the living and 
the True God, found it in keeping with their re- 
ligious faculties, and also a great spiritual privi- 
lege and pleasure to institute an altar in their 
private homes, with the patriarchs as their relig- 
ious teachers, and also to institute and build a 
Temple for the public worship of God, with the 
priests as their religious instructors, it would be 
well for all nations to emulate their example, and 
to follow in their footprints. 

Verdict of the Jury 

We, the Jury of rational thoughts concerning 
the living and the true God, greatly acquiesce in 
the conclusion of this chapter, and recommend the 
private and the public worship of the living and 
the true God, which should be a great privilege 
and a great pleasure to all who engage therein. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



: TKUH PKIMITirK RKLIC I 

-CHAPTER XXI L 
THE PROPER DAY OF TRUE WORSHIP 

In the previous chapter, we eonsidei 
and the Temple as appropriate places for the 
private and the public worship of G :• also 

referred to the great spiritual benefit that a : 
to man by engaging in this religious exercise. 

In this chapter we shall endeavor to show that 
true religious worship is essentially and naturally 
a part of man's religious nature. That this is so, 
we find, as has always been referred to, that ail 
of the nations of the earth, however intelligent 
or ignorant they may be, or may have been, have 
had some form of religious worship, whether it 
has been true or false, sublime or ridiculous. This 
being true, it is indeed rational and reasonable 
to conclude that man, all along tr . . must not 

have had some form of religious worship, 
and some place ii\ which to worship, but he 
also have had some stated time or period for 
this religious worship. 

In our researches along this line, we find that 
almost every pagan religion has a special d 
the week set apart as its sabbath day, c 
day of public worship of its gods. 

Thus the Chinese observe their sacred day 
of worship. The Hindoos have their sacred clay, 
and the Persians observe their day of worship. It 
is known that the Mohammedans observe Friday 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 153 

or the sixth day of each week as their Sabbath ; the 
Jewish nation observe Saturday, or the Seventh 
day of the week as their Sabbath, and the Roman 
Catholics and the Protestants observe Sunday, 
or the first of the week as their Sabbath. But 
in our researches for data, as to the authorized 
time or period that has been set apart for man 
to engage in the true religious worship of the Su- 
preme Being of the Universe, we find, as we have 
invariably found in every instance pertaining 
to rational thoughts concerning the Living and the 
True God, that the Jewish Nation, at a very early 
age,- was in possession of correct ideas and views, 
not only as to the proper place of religious wor- 
ship, but it also possessed correct ideas and views 
as to the proper day or period when man should 
engage in such religious worship. To this end, it 
has been shown that the Elders of Israel, when 
they related to Moses the account of the creation, 
they said to him : "Thus the heavens and the earth 
were finished, and all the host of them. And on 
the seventh day God ended his work which he had 
made ; and he rested on the seventh day from 
all the work which he had made. And God 
blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it ; because 
that in it he had rested from all his work which 
lie created and made." 

It has been said, that this period or Rest Day 
became what was familiarly known as the "Sab- 
bath Day" or the Day that God set apart for man 

to engage in the true religious worship. It is 



154 THE TRUfi PRIMITIYR RELIGION 

supposed by many rational theologians that this 
Day of Rest, or this Sabbath day, was religiously 
observed by the Antediluvians all along the ages 
before the deluge of the great Flood. While it is 
not known whether there was any specific com- 
mand given to the people for the religious obser- 
vance of the seventh day before the period of the 
great Flood or not, yet, this command was given 
to Moses, who was commanded to speak unto the 
Children of Israel, and to say unto them: "Re- 
member the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days 
thou shalt labor and do all thy work; but the 
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. 
For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, 
the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the 
seventh day : wherefore the Lord blessed the Sab- 
bath day and hallowed it." Thus we are told, that 
the seventh day of the week was strictly observed 
by the Jewish Nation as the true Sabbath day, 
or as their day of rest, and this day has been 
observed and is still observed as their day of re- 
ligious worship of the Supreme Being of the 
Universe. 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury, do attest the reasonableness of all 
that has been said in this chapter, and are of the 
opinion that the Seventh Day of the week is the 
divinely appointed Sabbath; and those who wor- 
ship the Living and the True God should, as far as 
possible, consecrate this day to the worship of the 
Supreme Being of the Universe. 

(Signed) The JURY. 






THK TRUK PRIMITIVE RKMGION 



CHAPTER XXIII. 
THE CHARACTER OF TRUE WORSHIPERS 

It will be noted, that we have considered in their 
order, The nature of true worship; the proper 
place of true worship, and the time of true wor- 
ship. In this chapter we shall consider, The 
character of true worshipers. 

That the Creator of the Universe is character- 
istically worthy of man's worship, is indeed in 
keeping with man's religious faculties ; for these 
were given to man for the specific purpose of wor- 
shiping his Creator : and it is the duty of man to 
utilize them to that end. 

At first thought, it would be indeed rational 
to think that man should engage in Divine worship 
regardless of his own personal character, or his 
own personal moral status; from the fact, that 
man was created a religious being, and endowed 
with faculties by which he can worship his Crea- 
tor. This, no doubt, would have been true of the 
first man of creation, if he had not committed the 
sin of disobedience, and thereby incurred the dis- 
pleasure of his Creator; for after he had thus 
sinned, he lost the image and the likeness of his 
Creator, and all of his religious faculties became 
greatly blunted and blurred. Thus it was, in the 
course of time, man's religious nature became so 
corrupted, that he began to use his religious fac- 
ulties to worship the creature instead of the Crea- 
tor. It is indeed evident, that an individual who 
allows his religious faculties to become thus cor- 



155 THK TKUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

rupted by sin, cannot use these faculties as they 
should be used in the worship of the living and the 
true God. This is not only true of worship, but 
it is also true of everything that has become af- 
fected, and thereby, imperfect. No imperfect 
machinery can be utilized to the same advantage 
that a perfect machinery can be utilized. Thus, 
an individual, although he has been- endowed with 
perfect religious faculties, cannot worship God as 
he ought, if he allows his religious faculties to 
become blunted and blurred by sin. This being 
true, the rational conclusion is, in order- to wor- 
ship God acceptably and as he ought, an individual 
should look well to his personal character, and see 
to it that all of his religious faculties are kept 
uncontaminated from sin, and that the thought 
of his Creator should be, at all times, the chief 
thought of his heart and mind. 

Thus from the foregoing it can be readily seen, 
that the man who delights in those internal feel- 
ings and faculties which have God for their object, 
and who exercises these faculties and feelings 
seriously and intelligently, that man is termed a 
True Worshiper of God, and is in close touch 
and communion with his Creator. But to be thus 
javored, his character must be untarnished from 
sin ; his moral life must be spotless ; his conversa- 
tion must be chaste; his conduct must be exem- 
plary; his motives must be pure, and his heart 
must be cleansed and made as white as the driven 
snow. 



THK TRIM-: PRIMITIVK REUGION 1=0 

That the character or the life of a worshiper of 
the living and the true God should be good and 
righteous, is evident from the fact, that the Being 
whom he worships is not only good and righteous, 
but He is also infinitely Holy. The great difference 
and distinction in the religious life of a heathen 
worshiper and a true worshiper lies in the fact, 
that a heathen worshiper has allowed his religious 
faculties to become corrupted, polluted, depraved, 
defiled and contaminated with sin ; and the wor- 
ship he engages in is mostly a worship controled by 
ignorance, superstition and fear. But the true 
worshiper endeavors to keep his religious facul- 
ties in a lofty attitude and a spiritual atmosphere, 
as the worship that he engages in is a worship 
emanating from a pure heart and a lofty soul, 
which condition, is largely due to the rational 
thoughts that he entertains concerning the living 
and the true God. 

Thus, in concluding this chapter, it would be 
rational to conclude, that the character of the wor- 
shiper of the living and the true God, must be 
pure and holy; free from intentional sin, and 
holy in the sight of his Creator. From this it 
can be seen, that the hypocrites the false pre- 
tenders, the idolators and the evil doers, however 
earnest may be their so-called worship, amounts to 
nothing, because their hearts and their lives have 
not been ordered aright. This is shown by David's 
exhortation to his people to worship the Lord in 
the beauty of holiness. David meant that they 



157 THE TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

should worship the Lord in the beauty of an 
untarnished character ; in the beauty of an upright 
life; in the beauty of righteous actions; in the 
beauty of brotherly love and devotion, and in the 
beauty of reverence, adoration, respect, devotion ; 
and in short, with a pure heart, and with all of its 
sublimest emotions, for God seeketh such wor- 
shipers to worship Him. 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury of rational thoughts concerning 
the living and the true God, do aver, that the con- 
tents of this chapter contain thoughts that are 
both rational and reasonable, and should be ad- 
hered to strictly by all who seek to worship their 
Creator. 

{Signed) The JURY. 



THK TRUE PRIMITIVE REIJGION 158 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

BACK AGAIN TO THE LIVING AND THE 
TRUE GOD, AND TO THE TRUE PRIMI- 
TIVE RELIGION 

It has been stated in a previous chapter of this 
volume, that it is both rational and logical to con- 
clude, that there is but One Living and True God, 
and also but One True Religion; and that this 
God is the Creator of. the Universe, and this Re- 
ligion is necessarily of divine origin. It has also 
been stated, that God created man in His Image 
and after His Likeness, and that man was in every 
respect a perfect human being. But as man is 
said to have forfeited this high state of perfection 
because of his disobedience to the command of 
his Creator, he has been represented as wandering 
far away from God, and from the path of recti- 
tude and duty, and as being lost in a seeming 
trackless wilderness ; and is now groveling in the 
darkness of the greatest spiritual ignorance, and 
of the grossest heathenism. This being true, it is 
rational and logical to conclude, that it is the 
paramount duty of every rational and reasonable 
being of mankind to seek again the knowledge of 
^he Living and the True God, and to return again 
to the old paths of the true primitive religion, and 
to awaken and to cultivate his every religious fac- 
ulty with which he has been endowed, and which 
brings him under religious obligations to his Crea- 
tor. 



lf> ( ) TIIK TRUK PRIMITIY-K RKLIGION 

But the query has been made as to the nature 
of the perfection of man's intellectual, moral and 
religious faculties with which he has been en- 
dowed, and in what sense can they be awakened, 
and by what means can they be cultivated? This 
query is of the utmost importance, because it 
arises from the fact, that man was created in 
the Image and the Likeness of his Creator ; and if 
this be so, how could man blunt and blur that part 
of his nature and perfection which distinctly sets 
him forth as a rational human being, and which 
brings him in close touch with his Creator ? 

In answer to these very important queries, it 
must be remembered that man was created a free 
moral agent, and as such, he had the choice or the 
privilege of obeying or disobeying any command 
that was given to him, and from any source which 
this command might come; for if this had not 
been so, man could not have been classed as an 
intellectual and a free moral agent, but would 
have been in the same class with all other beasts 
of the field, which are not responsible to their 
Creator for their moral actions, and who have 
not been given moral commands. 

Thus as man had been created a free moral 
agent, whereby he could select his own moral 
actions, God gave him a command, and it was the 
disobedience of this command that brought upon 
him the disfavor of God, and which blunted and 
blurred within him the Image and the Likeness 
of his Creator. From this period, it is said, that 



THK TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 100 

man began to wander away from God in his heart 
and mind, and in the process of time, he began to 
lose sight of the Creator, and eventually he utilized 
his religious faculties to worship the creature in- 
stead of the Creator. Thus historians have said, 
that the Antediluvians became so corrupt in their 
hearts and minds, that it was said of them, "And 
It repented the Lord that he had made man on the 
earth, and it grieved him at his heart." 

Although man did estrange himself from God 
because of his wickedness, yet, he never completely 
lost sight of his Creator, neither did he cease to 
worship Him as his benefactor, until after the 
period of the great Flood ; which is said, to have 
deluged the whole earth. Thus we are told, that 
after that, eventful period, and after the confusion 
of tongues and the dispersion of the people into 
different countries, man began to lose entire sight 
of the Living and the True God, and in the midst 
of this appalling heathenish darkness, he began to 
worship the creature instead of the Creator. 

Thus we are informed, that this heathenish 
darkness became so dense, that God called Abra- 
ham out of Ur of Chaldea and made a covenant 
with him, that he and his descendants should be- 
come the custodian of the knowledge of the Living 
and the True God, and of the True Primitive Re- 
ligion, in contradistinction from that of the other 
religions of the world. Thus Abraham became 
the founder of the Jewish Nation, and this nation 
2 lone has kept within its national archives, even 



161 THK TRUR PKIMITIVF RELIGION 

to this day, the true knowledge of God, and a tra- 
ditional knowledge of the true primitive religion 
rmd worship of mankind. 

But as most all of the nations of the earth are 
still groveling in heathenish darkness, and are 
seeking for gods many and lords many, it is the 
duty of every rational creature to throw off his 
spiritual yoke of bondage, and to come out of re- 
ligious darkness into religious light, and to seek 
again for a knowledge of the Living and the True 
God, and to diligently cultivate his religious facul- 
ties for the specific worship of the Creator of the 
Universe. 

Thus the Slogan, or the religious War Cry should 
be heard all over the land, "Back again to the 
Living and the True God, and to the Primitive 
Religion of man." 

But some one might ask, Who is God, and what 
is the nature of this Primary Religion? These 
queries we have endeavored to answer under their 
apropriate heads, as will be found in chapters II 
and XL In this chapter we shall endeavor to relate 
some of the means and methods by which man can 
return again to the Living and the True God, 
and to engage once again in the worship of the 
true primitive religion. This can be done in the 
f.rst place by reflecting upon the fact, that there 
is no effect without a cause, and that the Causer of 
all things is the Living and the True God. Thus 
the Jewish Tradition, "In the beginning God 






THK TRUH PKfMITIVH RRUGION 1 ()2 

created the heaven and the earth," should be 
spread in all the land. 

In the second place this can be done by reflecting 
rpon the fact, that as God is the creator of all 
things, He is entitled to such honor and respect as 
are due to His great Majesty. And as man has 
been endowed with specific faculties by which he 
can render that honor and respect that is due 
10 the Creator of all things, it is rational and logi- 
cal to conclude, that every one thus endowed, 
should so cultivate these religious faculties as to 
utilize them to this end. 

Thus all the heathen nations of the world should 
cast their idols to the winds and to the bats, and 
their Slogan should be, "Back to the Living and 
the True God ;" and those nations that worship 
the creature instead of the Creator, their Slogan 
should be, "Back to the primitive worship of man, 
who worshiped the Creator of the Universe." 

The conclusion of the whole matter is, that this 
religious Slogan eliminates all false gods and all 
iallacious denominational creeds; and in their 
places it urges upon man to cultivate a true know- 
ledge of the Living God, and to exhibit in their 
daily lives true religious deeds. 

Verdict of the Jury 

The Jury is of the unanimous opinion, that it 
is now high time for man to return again unto 
the Living and the True God, and to the true 
Primitive Religion of the Soul. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



16.} . THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

CHAPTER XXV. 

THE FINALITY OF MAN'S BODY AND THE 

DESTINY OF HIS SOUL 

It will be noticed that the subject of this chap- 
ter is of a two-fold nature; the reason is, man is 
said to be a compound being, composed of two sep- 
arate and distinct parts; viz., a body and a soul. 
The body is said to be composed of the dust of the 
earth, and is therefore earthy; while the soul is 
said to be the breath of God, and therefore spirit- 
ual. Thus, we have selected for the subject of thia 
chapter, the Finality of man's body, and the Des- 
tiny of his soul. 

In these latter days of scientific researches and 
discoveries, and also of philosophical data and 
deductions, man has given much study and at- 
tention, not only to the material existence of the 
universe, but he has also given much study to the 
physiological and the psychological phenomena of 
his own being; for in his general makeup, man is 
said to be "fearfully and wonderfully made ;" and 
has been classed and crowned as the "masterpiece 
of all of God's creation." 

But it must be remembered, that this scientific 
and philosophic research as to the existence of 
man, is not an undertaking of recent date, for all 
along the ages, even from man's earliest historical 
knowledge, he has been trying to find out some- 
thing about the mystery of his own being; as to 



THK TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION ! (,4 

who he is ; what he is ; from whence he came, and 
whither he is going. As to this inquiry, it can be 
truthfully said, that outside of the teachings of the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures, the true origin and the 
destiny of man is still a matter of conjecture and 
a deep mystery; for it is said, that the wisest of 
the ancient philosophers have grovelled in the 
dark as to the finality of man's physical existence, 
and the destiny of his soul. 

It is indeed an historical fact, that Moses, the 
Jewish philosopher and historian was the first to 
record an authentic account of man's physical and 
spiritual origin; for he wrote, "that God created 
man out of the dust of the earth ; and breathed into 
his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a 
living soul." He also wrote, that after man had 
transgressed the law of God, and had incurred the 
displeasure of his Creator, God said to man, "In 
the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till 
thou return unto the ground ; for out of it wast 
thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt 
thou return." 

It was no doubt, from the writings of Moses 
that King Solomon in his day, when referring to 
the finality of the body, and the destiny of the 
soul, made mention of this fact, when he said, 
'Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was : 
and the spirit shall return unto God who gave 
it." 

Physiologists and those who have anatomized 
and chemicalized the human body, tell us, that out 



165 THE TRUK PKIMITIVK RELIGION 

of the sixty-five different properties or gases that 
are known to exist in the material universe, only 
fifteen of these properties or gases have been 
found in the composition of the human body, and 
are said to be as follows ; Oxygen, Hydrogen, Car- 
bon, Nitrogen, Sulphur, Phosphorus, Calcium, 
Magnesium, Sodium. Potassium, Chlorine, Fluo- 
rine, Silicon, Iron and Manganese. It is said 
that Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen are 
to be found in all the solids, fluids and the fats 
of the human body, and that these properties form 
the chief and the most important ingredients of all 
animal life. It is also said, that of all the sixty- 
rive properties of which the universe is composed, 
not one of them can be destroyed or blotted out of 
existence ; and if they cease to exist in one form or 
combination, each and every one of them can exist 
in a separate and an independent form. Thus, we 
are told, that when a piece of wood is burned, the 
properties composing that piece of wood are not 
destroyed, but they simply change their form as to 
the wood, and each one of the properties or gases 
return again to its native or independent body. 
Thus the Oxygen that enters into the composition 
of the wood, when the wood is burned, the Oxygen 
will separate from the other properties and will 
unite again with the Oxygen of the air. So it 
will be with all of the other properties which are 
found in the composition of the piece of wood. 

This is said to be also true of the human body, 
for when the various properties or gases com- 
posing the body undergo a state of disintegra- 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION \CA\ 

tion, these gases cannot be destroyed, but wiil 
simply change their form, and in that state will 
continue to exist. But this is not true of the 
soul, for the soul is not a composite body, but is 
a simple and an independent substance ; therefore 
the soul cannot be separated into various chemical 
elements, neither can it enter into a state of spirit- 
ual dissolution. 

From this it can be seen, that the soul of man 
being the breath of God it must of necessity be a 
simple substance; and it is on this ground that 
philosophers and theologians base their arguments 
for the immortality of the soul, and declare thai 
it will continue to exist throughout eternity. 

Then again, psychologists tell us that the soul 
is that part of man that thinks, remembers, wills, 
chooses, loves, decides and obeys. Thus it is the 
soul and not the body that constitutes man an 
active living being, and it is also the soul that con- 
stitutes him a religious being; for it is the soul 
that is under obligations to God, and not the body ; 
and it is the soul that God holds in strict obedience 
to His law, and not the body. 

The poet Longfellow, in his Psalm of Life said, 
"Lif e is real ; life is earnest : 
And the grave is not its goal ; 
Dust thou art, to dust returnest, 
Was not spoken of the soul/' 

Thus we conclude this chapter by saying, that 
the teachings of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures are 



167 THE TKUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

strictly in accord with the teachings of physiology 
as to the finality of the human body ; and that is, 
at death, "Then shall the dust return to the earth 
as it was." 

But not only this, the teachings of the Jewish 
Gacred Scriptures are also in strict accord w T ith 
the teachings of psychology, which teaches, that 
at death, "The spirit or breath shall return unto 
God who gave it." 

These were indeed the ideas and views of the 
Jewish ancient Patriarchs; these were the ideas 
and views of the ancient Jewish Prophets, and 
these have been the ideas and views of the Jew- 
ish nation all along the ages. 

It is said, that the Jewish Nation has no na- 
tional tradition of the resurrection of the body. 
This is strictly a pagan doctrine, and originated 
in Egypt many hundreds of years before the in- 
stitution of the Christian Religion. 
Verdict of the Jury. 

We, the Jury, of rational thoughts concerning 
the living and the true God, do heartily agree with 
the foregoing ideas and views as to the finality 
of the body of man, and the destiny of his soul. 

{Signed) The JURY. 



THK TKl'R PRIMITIVE RKT.ir.ION K'xS 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

THE FUTURE ABODE AND CONDITION OF 

THE SOUL 

In the preceding chapter, especial attention was 
given to the doctrine of the finality of man's body, 
and the destiny of his soul ; but in this chapter the 
discussion will be confined exclusively to the future 
abode of the soul, after it is separated from the 
body. 

That the soul is immortal, and does not undergo 
a spiritual dissolution at death, as does the body, 
is a doctrine, or an idea, that seems to have been 
prevalent among all the nations of the earth. But 
while this is so, yet, the ideas and views held by 
some nations, as to the future abode of the soul 
after it leaves the body, have been multifarious, 
and no two nations have agreed upon the essential 
details of this most important doctrine. 

In reading the religious history of the human 
race, and in noting the ideas and views held by 
the different nations as to the future abode of the 
soul, we find, that some of their ideas and views 
on this subject have been greatly erroneous and 
grossly irrational. From the fact, that there 
have been so many different ideas and views as 
to this all important doctrine of the future abode 
of the soul, which have been taught by the differ- 
ent religions of the world, the great question now 
arises, Which one of these religions teaches the 



I6<j THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

correct ideas and views as to this vital doctrine, 
and by what means can anxious inquirers obtain 
true ideas and views on this subject? 

Thus in answer to this important inquiry, it can 
be safely said, that as the Jewish nation has been 
given the great honor of being in possession of 
correct religious ideas and views of the living and 
the true God, it is evident that we, of today, must 
also look up to that nation, and to that nation 
alone, for all correct religious ideas and views 
pertaining to the existence of the soul in this 
life, and the possible future existence and abode 
of the soul in the life to come. 

It is indeed a strange and remarkable fact, that 
the Elders of Israel failed to relate to Moses, and 
indeed said absolutely nothing about the religious 
traditions of their fathers, as to their ideas and 
views of the future abode of the soul. 

As to the future abode of the soul, theologians 
have indeed speculated as have been their custom, 
and many have been their theories as to the abode 
of the soul when it separates from the body at 
death. Some of these theologians hold, that the 
soul after it leaves the body flies about in space 
without any particular place of abode. Some of 
them argue, that the soul enters the bodies of 
inferior animals and finds a dwelling place. There 
are some others, who argue, that the soul of man 
hovers around the grave of the body, waiting to 
leinhabit the body at the final resurrection of the 
body. Then, there are some theologians who claim, 



THK TRUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 170 

that at the dissolution of the body, the soul returns 
again to its native element and is no more. But 
there are some who claim, that the soul is immortal 
and is responsible for all of the moral acts of the 
body, and the future destiny of the soul and its 
future abode depends altogether upon its moral 
conduct while it inhabits the body on this earth. 
Thus they say, if the soul is good and obedient 
to the commands of the gods, it will go to a place 
of happiness, when it leaves the body ; but if it be 
disobedient it will go to a place of torments, when 
it leaves the body. The place of happiness, they are 
wont to call "heaven ;" but the place of torments 
ihey call "hell." 

Now, if there is really a place called "heaven," 
and a place called "hell, ,, which will be the future 
j.bode of the disembodied spirit of man, it is evi- 
dent that the Jewish nation should have some 
knowledge of such places, for it is rational to 
think that the Elders of Israel in relating the 
religious traditions of their fathers to Moses, such 
an important tradition as this would not have been 
overlooked and left out of their information, es- 
pecially when these Elders dwelt upon every other 
subject connected with man's physical and spirit 
ual existence. 

It is indeed true, that Moses did frequently 
allude to the heavens in his narrations of the 
tradition of the Elders, but these allusions were 
not in connection with the future abode of the 
soul, for as a careful investigation of these heaven- 



171 THE TKUK PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

ly allusions will show, the Elders of Israel- had ref- 
erence to the abode of the sun, moon and the stars, 
and not to the future abode of the souL 

Then again, in searching the Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures for data on this important subject, we 
find nothing definite has been said in them as to 
the future abode of the soul, when it is separated 
from the body at death. The nearest approach 
that can be found in the Jewish Sacred Scriptures 
as to the future abode of the soul, was expressed 
by Solomon, when he said, "Then shall the dust 
return to the earth as it was : and the spirit shall 
return unto God who gave it." But even in the 
consideration of this assertion of Solomon, we find, 
that theologians have differed and cavilled as 
to its true reference. Some theologians have 
argued that Solomon had no reference whatever 
to the future abode or final dwelling place of the 
body and the soul, but simply relates the physical 
and spiritual phenomena that take pb.ce at death. 
But there are other theologians who argue, that 
Solomon did not only designate the final dwelling 
place of the body as being, "the earth" but he also 
designated the final dwelling place of the soul as 
being "heaven." Thus they claim, that as the 
body of man is of the earth, and is therefore 
earthy, so the soul of man being the breath of God, 
is therefore heavenly. They also claim, that Solo- 
mon teaches, that as the body is composed of the 
dust of the earth, at death, the body will dis- 
integrate and will return to the earth as it was ; 



THK TRUK PRIMITIVE IRMGION 1/2 

but as the soul is the breath of God, and as God 
dwells in heaven, the soul returns to heaven where 
God is, for, they say, that the soul returns unto 
God who gave it. 

But in studying the traditional testimonies of 
the Elders of Israel as they related them to 
Moses, concerning the death of the Patriarchs, 
from the day of Adam to the days of the Prophets, 
we find that they said nothing to Moses as to the 
future abode of their souls. All that Moses wrote 
concerning. the death of Adam was, "And all the 
days that Adam lived were nine hundred and 
thirty years; and he died." This was also true 
of Methuselah, the oldest recorded inhabitant of 
the earth; which was said of him, "He lived nine 
hundred and sixty and nine years: and he died." 
It was said of Enoch, the father of Methuselah, 
"that he lived three hundred and sixty and five 
years ; and Enoch walked with God : and he was 
not; for God took him." Not only this, but it is 
recorded of Abraham, the founder of the Jewish 
nation, "that he lived one hundred and three score 
and fifteen years, and he gave up the ghost, and 
died in a good old age, an old man, and full of 
years ; and was gathered to his people." When 
the patriarch Isaac died, all that was recorded 
about his demise was, "He gave up the ghost, and 
died, and was gathered to his people." This was 
true also of Jacob, and nearly all of the ancient 
patriarchs and prophets. 



173 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

While it is indeed true, that the Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures speak of Prophet Elijah being taken up 
to heaven in a whirlwind, yet it is thought by 
many theologians that reference is made only to 
him being taken out of sight; for it is said 
that the sons of the prophets sought for him in 
the regions round about. It is indeed true, that 
there is no reference in the Jewish Sacred Scrip- 
tures that speaks of a soul entering into a place 
called "heaven," and no reference whatever is 
made to the future abode of the soul of man. 

In coming to a conclusion, as to the Jewish 
idea of the future abode of the soul, it is safe to 
say, that the Jewish nation as a w T hole, has always 
entertained correct religious ideas and views of 
the future abode of the soul ; and while it is not 
so stated in their Sacred Scriptures, yet, they have 
always entertained the opinion, that at death, 
the soul returns unto God who gave it; and that 
its future abode will be in heaven, the dwelling- 
place of God. 

Having thus located the future abode of the 
soul, which the Jewish nation holds, that it returns 
unto God who gave it, another great and impor- 
tant question arises; and that is, What will be the 
spiritual state or condition of the soul when it 
inhabits its future abode. That is to say, Will the 
soul be in a state of happiness, or in a state of 
woe when it reaches its final dwelling-place? 

In answer to this important question, it can be 
said, that as God created man in his own image 



THK TRUfi PR I MITT VK RELIGION '74 

and likeness, it is evident that the soul of man was 
created, not only for happiness in this world, but 
also for the world to come. As to a place known 
as "hell," where the soul of man is punished, and 
tormented throughout his future existence, the 
Jewish nation has no Scriptural knowledge, and 
it is not a doctrine that has come down to them 
among their cherished national traditions. 

Verdict of the Jury 
We, the Jury of rational thoughts concerning 
the living and the true God, do heartily agree with 
ihe sentiment as expressed by the Jewish nation 
as to the future abode of the soul ; and discard all 
other ideas and views as being of heathen and of 
pagan origin. 

(Signed) The JURY. 



1,5 THK TKI'K PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE RESUME AND CONCLUSION OF THE 

WHOLE MATTER 

Without a desire to indulge in invidious com- 
parisons of religious creeds and denominational 
views, the author of this Volume has had but one 
main object in mind, and that was, to put in Book 
Form, what he considered rational ideas and views 
of the living and the true God ; and the true relig- 
ion, as he now sees them, after nearly forty years 
cf diligent study and close research on this all 
important subject. 

But without controversy, the author is candid 
enough to admit that most all of his early theologi- 
cal ideas and views concerning God, and the de- 
nominational doctrines in which he had been 
trained have been greatly modified, and in some 
instances, have been completely changed ; and be- 
cause of these modified and changed ideas and 
views, the author claims that some of the mist of 
his religious ignorance has almost cleared away 
and that he is now endeavoring to dwell in the 
beaming rays of God's effulgent light and glory. 

In his final chapter on Rational Thoughts Con- 
cerning the Living and the True God; and The 
True Religion, the author thinks it fitting, that he 
should give a synoptical resume, and what he 
thinks, a rational conclusion to each chapter of 
this Volume, in order, that the readers will have 



THR TRITE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 176 

no difficulty in deciding where he stands on each 
and every subject discussed therein. 

Thus, in the first chapter of this Volume, the 
subject discussed was, "The source, the authen- 
ticity, and the reliability of the Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures." It is indeed the author's opinion, 
that the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, especially the 
traditional writings of Moses, are religiously 
genuine, authentic, and perfectly reliable and have 
been proven to be the only Sacred Writings that 
contain correct and rational ideas and views of the 
living and the true God ; and the true religion. 

In the second chapter, "The Existence of a Su- 
preme Being" was discussed. The author holds, 
that the rational conclusion on this subject is, that 
the Existence of a Supreme Being can be readily 
proven by the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, and alsu 
by the Book of Nature ; or by Revelation and by 
Creation. 

The third and fourth chapters treat of the "Es- 
sential attributes and characteristics of the Su- 
preme Being," and the author is of the opinion, 
that the natural and moral attributes which have 
been ascribed to the Supreme Being by rational 
theologians are both logical and reasonable; and 
without these infinite attributes He could not be 
God. 

The fifth chapter discusses "Material Crea- 
tion;" and the author is in strict accord with the 
teachings of the first verse of the Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures, which says, "In the beginning God 
created the heaven and the earth." 



1<7 THH TKUK PKIMITIYK RELIGION 

The sixth chapter considers the "Evolutionary 
process of material creation," and the author 
holds that true science and the true religion are 
in harmony along this line ; and that rational 
theology and philosophy are in evolutionary agree- 
ment. 

•'Man,, a special act of Creation," is considered 
m the seventh chapter. The author holds, that 
as man was created in the image and the likeness 
of his creator, he undergoes a distinction that no 
other creature of creation undergoes, and has been 
endowed with faculties that no creature has been 
undo wed with. 

In the eighth chapter. "Man by Creation a ra- 
tional and a religious being," was considered ; and 
the author claims that no man can be made relig- 
ious by denominational creeds, but that every man 
is born religious. 

"Man's primary rational ideas and views of 
ihe Supreme Being," were considered in the ninth 
chapter ; and the author holds that man's primary 
icleas and views of his Creator were intuitional, 
and were also the logical results of man's rational 
perfect faculties with which he had been endowed 
at the time of his creation. 

In the tenth chapter. "The primary state and 
condition of man," were discussed ; and the author 
:s of the opinion that man's primary state and con- 
dition were that of true happiness and joy ; from 
the fact, that man ivas created for the honor and 
glorv of God. 



THK TRUK PiilMI'lIVH k K 1,1 (J ION i 78 

'The Nature of true religion," has been con- 
sidered in the eleventh chapter, and the author's 
conclusion is that the nature of true religion lies 
in the proper use and exercise of the religious 
faculties with which man has been endowed ; and 
does not lie in the various forms of doctrines which 
he is called upon to accept. 

The twelfth chapter treats of the "Esperanto" re- 
ligion, and the author holds that the Primary relig- 
ion will eventually be the universal religion of 
mankind. 

In the thirteenth chapter the very important 
subject, "The disobedience of Man," was con- 
sidered ; and the author is of the firm opinion, that 
the disobedience of the first man of creation was 
due mainly to the fact, that he was created a free 
moral agent, and could choose his own actions ; but 
having made an unfortunate choice, he fell into 
divine displeasure. 

The fourteenth chapter treats of "The effects 
of the disobedience of man." The author heartily 
adopts the views expressed in this chapter, and 
holds, that the disobedience of the first man did not 
affect the spiritual standing of his posterity, and 
that God does not punish one man, because another 
man chooses to disobey the divine command. 

In the fifteenth chapter, "The serpent and the 
seed of the woman," were considered ; and the 
author has drawn the conclusion that the narrative 
which was told to Moses by the Elders of Israel 
concerning the actions of the serpent beguiling the 
woman is purely allegorical and metaphorical, and 



17*) THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

was used by the Elders as an apt illustration in 
describing and depicting the disobedience of man. 
In the sixteenth chapter a very important sub- 
ject was considered, namely, "Is God merciful, 
and does He pardon sin ?" In answer to this ques- 
tion, the author is in accord with the views ex- 
pressed in this chapter, and is a firm believer in 
the mercy and the pardon of God. 

The seventeenth chapter treats of the "Restora- 
tion of man." The author also believes, that after 
the repentence of man as to his disobedience, God 
did restore him again to the image and the likeness 
of His Creator. 

The eighteenth chapter treats of "Man's present 
relation and obligation to God." The author holds, 
that man's original relationship and obligation 
to his Creator has never been abrogated, and as 
man was created a moral and a religious being, we 
logically conclude that man is still under strict ob- 
ligations of obedience to his Creator. 

In the nineteenth chapter, "The Jewish Sacred 
Scriptures compared to other Sacred Writings," 
was discussed, and the author is strongly of the 
opinion that the Jewish Sacred Scriptures is the 
only volume which contains rational and correct 
ideas and views of the Supreme Being of the 
Universe. 

"The nature of true worship," was discussed in 
the twentieth chapter, and the author is of the 
opinion, that the nature of true worship is to be 
found in the religious zeal and earnestness in 



180 THE TKUH PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

which man enters into the worship of the living 
and the true God. 

In the twenty-first chapter "The proper place 
of true worship," was considered ; and the author 
is of opinion that the home of an individual is a 
proper place of divine worship, as well as the 
house set apart and dedicated to the worship of 
the living and the true God. 

"The time of True Worship," was considered in 
the twenty-second chapter. As to the Time, or the 
proper Day to worship the living and the true 
God, there is no getting around the fact, that the 
Jewish Sabbath, or the Seventh Day of the Week is 
the proper Day. For hundreds of years the 
Roman Pagan Church observed the First Day of 
the Week as their Day of Worship, even before the 
organization of the Christian Church. 

"The character of true worshipers," is the 
theme of the twenty-third chapter. That those 
who worship the living and the true God should be 
good and upright in their lives no one will dare 
io deny. 

Then twenty-fourth chapter treats of the very 
important subject, "Back again to the Living and 
the True God and the True Primary Religion of 
man." The author is of the opinion that it is the 
duty of man to study the nature and the character- 
istics of the Supreme Being, and also the religion 
that was in vogue when Adam was upon the earth, 
and the religion that came down by tradition to 
Abraham and to Moses. 



181 THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 

In the twenty-fifth chapter, "The Final:: 
man's body and the Destiny of his soul" are con- 
sidered. The author states as his opinion, 
declaration expressed by King Solomon, when he 
declared at death, "Then shall the dust return to 
the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return 
unto God who gave it." 

In the twenty-sixth chapter, "The Future abode 
and condition of the soul," were considered, 
author thinks it rational to conclude, that when 
the soul leaves the body it returns again to the 
God who gave it, and if it be found to be in the 
image and the likeness of its Creator it will find its 
future abode in that place which is comm: 
called "Heaven," which is said to be a place of 
happiness and delight. As to "Hell," the place 
said to be the future abode of wicked souls, the 
Jewish Sacred Scriptures make no reference to it, 
and such a place is supposed to be of pagan origin, 
instituted by the pagans for all who do not adhere 
lo their teachings. The author's opinion on : 
subject is in accordance with that of the Jewish 
nation. 

TWENTY-SEVENTH CHAPTER— THE CON- 
CLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER 

Thus we conclude this Volume by quoting the 
language of King Solomon: "Let us hear the 
conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and 
keep His commandments: for this is the whole 
duty of man." Prov. XII, 13. 



I £ ma 



THE TRUE PRIMITIVE RELIGION 182 



Benediction 

"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord 
make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious 
unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon 
thee, and give thee peace." Numbers, 6th. 24, 25, 
26. 



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